(a) There shall be no statute of limitations for the following offenses: treason against
the state; any homicide, arson, first-degree arson, second-degree arson, third-degree
arson, burglary, counterfeiting, forgery, robbery, rape, first-degree sexual assault,
first-degree child molestation sexual assault, second-degree child molestation sexual
assault, bigamy; manufacturing, selling, distribution, or possession with intent to
manufacture, sell, or distribute, a controlled substance under the Uniform Controlled
Substance Act, chapter 28 of title 21; or any other offense for which the maximum penalty provided is life imprisonment.
(b) The statute of limitations for the following offenses shall be ten (10) years: larceny
under § 11-41-2 (receiving stolen goods), § 11-41-3 (embezzlement and fraudulent conversion), § 11-41-4 (obtaining property by false pretenses or personation), § 11-41-11 (embezzlement by bank officer or employee), § 11-41-12 (fraudulent conversion by agent or factor), and § 11-41-13 (obtaining signature by false pretenses), or any larceny that is punishable as a
felony; any violation of chapter 7 of title 11 (bribery); any violation of § 11-18-1 (giving false document to agent, employee, or public official); perjury; any violation
of chapter 42 of title 11 (threats and extortion); any violation of chapter 15 of title 7 (racketeer influenced and corrupt organizations); any violation of chapter 57 of title 11 (racketeer violence); any violation of chapter 36 of title 6 (antitrust law); any violation of § 11-68-2 (exploitation of an elder); any violation of § 11-41-11.1 (unlawful appropriation); any violation of § 11-18-6 (false financial statement to obtain loan or credit); any violation of § 19-9-28 (false statement to obtain a loan); any violation of § 19-9-29 (bank fraud); or any violation of § 11-18-34 (residential mortgage fraud).
(c) The statute of limitations for any other criminal offense shall be three (3) years,
unless a longer statute of limitations is otherwise provided for in the general laws.
(d) Any person who participates in any offense, either as a principal accessory or conspirator,
shall be subject to the same statute of limitations as if the person had committed
the substantive offense.
(e) The statute of limitations for any violation of chapter 18.9 of title 23 (refuse disposal), chapter 19 of title 23 (solid waste management corporation), chapter 19.1 of title 23 (hazardous waste management), chapter 12 of title 46 (water pollution), and chapter 13 of title 46 (public drinking water supply) shall be seven (7) years from the time that the facts
constituting the offense or violation shall have become known to law enforcement authorities,
unless a longer statute of limitations is otherwise provided for in the general laws.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in
15
cases (
1 in the last 5 years), 1974–2024 · leading case:
Brown v. State, 32 A.3d 901 (R.I. 2011).
Brown v. State, 32 A.3d 901 (R.I. 2011).
· cites it 6× “Specifically, Brown refers to G.L.1956 § 12-12-17, which before it was amended on June 25, 1985, did not except child molestation offenses from the general three-year statute of limitations.”
State v. Pereira, 973 A.2d 19 (R.I. 2009).
· cites it 6× “See G.L.1956 § 12-12-17. On June 25, 1985, the General Assembly removed the limitations period for the offense of second-degree child molestation sexual assault.”
Brown v. State, 841 A.2d 1116 (R.I. 2004).
· cites it 5× “He argues that the statutory amendment to G.L. 1956 § 12-12-17 (P.L. 1985, ch. 195, § 1), which eliminated the three-year statute of limitations for such cases, became effective on June 25, 1985, and cannot be applied retroactively to the offenses with which he was charged.”
Melissa E. Goddard v. APG Sec.-RI, LLC, alias John Doe Corp., 134 A.3d 173 (R.I. 2016).
· cites it 2× “See G.L.1956 § 12-12-17(c) (providing that the statute of limitations for any criminal offense not enumerated in paragraphs (a) or (b) is three years “unless a longer statute of limitations is otherwise' provided for in the general laws”).”
State v. Ricci, 533 A.2d 844 (R.I. 1987).
· cites it 6× “DiMauro was charged with aiding and abetting Ricci. The crime of obtaining money by false pretenses is a statutory derivation of common-law larceny.”
State v. St. Pierre, 371 A.2d 1048 (R.I. 1977).
· cites it 6× “1956 (1969 Reenactment) §12-12-17, because the receiving stolen goods count was instituted more than 3 years after the .”
State v. Lambrechts, 585 A.2d 645 (R.I. 1991).
· cites it 3× “General Laws 1956 (1969 Reenactment) § 12-12-17, as amended by P.L.1974, ch. 118, § 11, as it was in effect in 1980 at the time of the offenses, states: “Period of limitations on minor offenses.”
State v. Price, 820 A.2d 956 (R.I. 2003).
· cites it 2× “There was no violation of the statute of limitations of G.L.1956 § 12-12-17. The argument in respect to laches is unpersuasive.”
State v. Cook, 45 A.3d 1272 (R.I. 2012).
· cites it 2× “See G.L.1956 § 12-12-17. That same day, the state petitioned the trial justice to allow certain evidence pertaining to the assault on Whitney to be *1275 admitted in the state’s case against Cook as to the remaining sexual assault counts based on Rule 404(b) of the Rhode Island…”
In Re Jones, 2009 VT 113 (Vt. 2009).
“§ 5552 and R.I. Gen. Laws § 12-12-17. 5 The quoted text is from the statute as it existed prior to the 2009 amendments.”
Charlesgate Nursing Ctr. v. Rhode Island, 723 F. Supp. 859 (D.R.I. 1989).
· cites it 2× “R.I.Gen. Laws § 12-12-17. In addition, it is obvious that the mere existence of the statute weakens Charles-gate’s bargaining position vis á vis, its unions.”
Rhode Island Repub. Party v. Daluz, 961 A.2d 287 (R.I. 2008).
“” General Laws 1956 § 12-12-17(c) sets the statute of limitations for a misdemeanor at three years, a period that expired long ago.”
— R.I. Gen. Laws § 12-12-17(a) — 1 case
— R.I. Gen. Laws § 12-12-17(c) — 2 cases
Melissa E. Goddard v. APG Sec.-RI, LLC, alias John Doe Corp., 134 A.3d 173 (R.I. 2016).
“See G.L.1956 § 12-12-17(c) (providing that the statute of limitations for any criminal offense not enumerated in paragraphs (a) or (b) is three years “unless a longer statute of limitations is otherwise' provided for in the general laws”).”
Rhode Island Repub. Party v. Daluz, 961 A.2d 287 (R.I. 2008).
“” General Laws 1956 § 12-12-17(c) sets the statute of limitations for a misdemeanor at three years, a period that expired long ago.”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the
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treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.