How long is the statute of limitations for criminal sexual conduct in Minnesota?

How long is the statute of limitations for criminal sexual conduct in Minnesota? In this video, Minnesota criminal defense lawyer Ryan Pacyga explains what a statute of limitations is, and how long the statute of limitations for criminal sexual conduct is in Minnesota. The statute of limitations for many crimes in Minnesota is three years, but for criminal sexual conduct it is often much longer. Depending on the age of the accuser at the time of the alleged act (under age 18 versus age 18 or over) and whether DNA was collected and preserved, the statute of limitations can be: Forever (no end); either 9 years from the date of the alleged incident or three years after it is first reported to police (whichever is LONGER); or 9 years after the incident; or for fifth degree criminal sexual conduct, a period of three years after the alleged act. Ryan Pacyga has raised the statute of limitations defense before. It is important because statutes of limitation are an important part of due process. It can become more difficult to properly defend against a false allegation with a long passage of time. Helpful witnesses for the defense may be dead, be gone, and/or lose memory. An alibi defense or witness may go away. Documents, video or audio recordings, and other evidence that can help the defense show that the allegation is not true may be gone. That's why statutes of limitation exist in most criminal cases. The Minnesota legislature is responsible for making and changing laws, including statutes of limitation. Over the past two decades, they have amended (changed) the statues of limitation for criminal sexual conduct several times. If you or a family member or friend are facing old allegations, make sure you have a lawyer that understands the complex statutes of limitations for criminal sexual conduct cases in Minnesota. Please let me know if you have any questions or feel free to comment below. You can also reach me at https://www.arrestedmn.com or call 612-339-5844.