(a) The crimes of deceit and malicious mischief, and the crime of petit larceny where the value of the property does not exceed five dollars ($5.00), and all misdemeanors except malicious misdemeanors, shall be charged within two years after the commission of the same, and not afterwards: Provided, that if any pleading shall be defective, so that no judgment can be given thereon, another prosecution may be instituted for the same offense, within one year after the first shall have been abandoned by the State.
(b) Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section, the following misdemeanors shall be charged within 10 years of the commission of the crime:
(1) G.S. 7B-301(b).
(2) G.S. 14-27.33.
(3) G.S. 14-202.2.
(4) G.S. 14-318.2.
(5) G.S. 14-318.6. (1826, c. 11; R.C., c. 35, s. 8; Code, s. 1177; Rev., s. 3147; 1907, c. 408; C.S., s. 4512; 1943, c. 543; 2017-57, s. 17.8.(a); 2017-212, s. 5.3; 2019-245, s. 2(a).)
§§ 15-2 through 15-3. Repealed by Session Laws 1973, c. 1286, s. 26.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in
28
cases (
1 in the last 5 years), 1949–2025 · leading case:
State v. Curtis, 817 S.E.2d 187 (N.C. 2018).
State v. Curtis, 817 S.E.2d 187 (N.C. 2018).
· cites it 51× “**356 In this case we consider whether the two-year statute of limitations in N.C.G.S. § 15-1 bars the State from prosecuting defendant Marian Olivia Curtis for the misdemeanor offense of driving while impaired (DWI) when the State did not charge defendant by indictment or…”
State v. Stevens, 831 S.E.2d 364 (N.C. Ct. App. 2019).
· cites it 38× “Defendant moved to dismiss the charges in Superior Court, arguing the presentment and indictment were returned more than two years after the commission of the offense in violation of the statute of limitations for misdemeanors in N.C.G.S. § 15-1. The trial court allowed…”
State v. Whittle, 454 S.E.2d 688 (N.C. Ct. App. 1995).
· cites it 24× “In support of this argument, the defendant points to the language of Section 641(c) which states that a presentment no longer "institute[s] criminal proceedings.”
State v. Turner, 793 S.E.2d 287 (N.C. Ct. App. 2016).
· cites it 18× “The express language of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15-1 required the State to prosecute defendant's misdemeanor charge within two years.”
State v. Taylor, 713 S.E.2d 82 (N.C. Ct. App. 2011).
· cites it 11× “2d 461, 463 (1956) (citing N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15-1 and State v. Williams, 151 N.”
Hernandez v. State, 127 S.W.3d 768 (Tex. Crim. App. 2004).
· cites it 2× “§ 29-110(1) (2002); N.C. Gen.Stat. § 15-1 (2003); R.I. Gen. Laws § 12-12-18 (2002) (reindictment for "same offense" allowed in case of theft, loss, or destruction of indictment); S.”
State v. Brewer, 129 S.E.2d 262 (N.C. 1963).
· cites it 4× “It shows on its face the offense charged is a misdemeanor which it alleges occurred on or about 1 August 1957, and therefore the prosecution is barred by the two-year Statute of Limitations, G.S. 15-1. Two. It “contains within one count three separate and distinct averments of…”
Vaughan v. Mashburn, 817 S.E.2d 370 (N.C. 2018).
“Gray Wilson, North Carolina Civil Procedure § 15-1, at 15-2 to 15-3 (3d ed. 2007) [hereinafter Wilson, Civil Procedure], and reflects the legislature's intent "that decisions be had on the merits and not avoided on the basis of mere technicalities," Mangum , 281 N.”
State v. Friend, 724 S.E.2d 85 (N.C. Ct. App. 2012).
· cites it 4× “N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15-1 (2011). In the instant case, the statute of limitations would have expired on 7 March 2008.”
State v. Madry, 537 S.E.2d 827 (N.C. Ct. App. 2000).
· cites it 4× “N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15-1 prescribes a two-year statute of limitations for all misdemeanors except “malicious misdemeanors.”
McCormick v. Hanson Aggregates Se., Inc., 596 S.E.2d 431 (N.C. Ct. App. 2004).
· cites it 2× “A misdemeanor must be prosecuted within two years under G.S. § 15-1, and at this point any alleged zoning ordinance violations are no longer prosecutable to the extent that they occurred more than two years ago.”
State v. Archie Prentiss Underwood, 92 S.E.2d 461 (N.C. 1956).
· cites it 4× “” The question presented for decision is whether G.S. 15-1 requires a bill of indictment in order to toll the statute of limitations in those misdemeanor cases in which the defendant may be tried in the Superior Court on a warrant issued by an inferior court and without an…”
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