Covid-19 has continued to affect crime rates across the state. According to Texas Department of Public Safety’s Texas Crime report in 2020, 530,711 total Juvenile and Adult arrests occurred in 2020. This means the arrest rates in Texas dropped almost 25 percent from the 698,834 total in 2019. The Texas index crime rate was 2,666.7 crimes per 100,000 population, a 4.0% decrease from 2019. The Total Texas Crime Rate includes both violent and property crimes and calculates them together. The violent crime rate increased by 6.6% from 2019 while violent crime volume increased by 7.9%. The property crime rate decreased by 5.9% from 2019 with a 4.7% decrease in property crime volume from 2019.
After courts started closing their doors due to the global Covid-19 pandemic these cases began to pile up. Courts across the state went over a year holding very few if any contested hearings in 2020. This means that the majority of cases that were disposed of in 2020 were pled out of court or dismissed. If you have a pending charge keep your eyes open as courts open their doors and begin to catch up on the remaining cases pending cases, and even cases that were not filed in 2020 may still be filed.
Criminal Statute of Limitations for Felonies in Texas
An indictment or information for any Misdemeanor offense has to be presented within two years from the date of the offense.
Felonies with no limitation of time:
- Manslaughter
- Murder
- Sexual Assault under Section 22.011(a)(2), Penal Code
- Aggravated Sexual Assault under Section 22.021(a)(1)(B), Penal Code
- Sexual Assault if:
- (1) during the investigation of the offense biological matter is collected and subjected to forensic DNA testing and the testing results show that the matter does not match the victim or any other person whose identity is readily ascertained; or
- (2) probable cause exists to believe that the defendant has committed the same or a similar sexual offense against five or more victims
- Continuous Sexual Abuse of Young Child or Children under Section 21.02, Penal Code
- Indecency with a Child under Section 21.11, Penal Code
- An offense involving leaving the scene of an accident under Section 550.021, Transportation Code, if the accident resulted in the death of a person
- Trafficking of Persons under Section 20A.02(a)(7) or (8), Penal Code
- Continuous Trafficking of Persons under Section 20A.03, Penal Code
- Compelling Prostitution under Section 43.05(a)(2), Penal Code.
Felonies with a 10-year statute of limitation:
- Theft of any estate, real, personal or mixed, by an executor, administrator, guardian or trustee, with intent to defraud any creditor, heir, legatee, ward, distributee, beneficiary, or settlor of a trust interested in such estate
- Theft by a public servant of government property over which he exercises control in his official capacity
- Forgery or the uttering, using, or passing of forged instruments
- Injury to an elderly or disabled individual punishable as a felony of the first degree under Section 22.04, Penal Code
- Sexual Assault, except as provided by Subdivision (1)
- Arson
- Trafficking of Persons under Section 20A.02(a)(1), (2), (3), or (4), Penal Code
- Compelling Prostitution under Section 43.05(a)(1), Penal Code
Felonies with a 7-year statute of limitation:
- Misapplication of fiduciary property or property of a financial institution
- Securing execution of document by deception
- A felony violation under Chapter 162, Tax Code
- False statement to obtain property or credit under Section 32.32, Penal Code
- Money Laundering
- Credit Card or Debit Card abuse under Section 32.31, Penal Code
- Fraudulent use or possession of identifying information under Section 32.51, Penal Code
- Exploitation of a child, elderly individual, or disabled individual under Section 32.53, Penal Code
- Medicaid Fraud under Section 35A.02, Penal Code
- Bigamy under Section 25.01, Penal Code, except as provided by Subdivision (6)
Felonies with a 5-year statute of limitation:
- Theft or Robbery
- Kidnapping or Burglary, except as provided by Subdivision (5)
- Injury to an Elderly or Disabled Individual that is not punishable as a felony of the first degree under Section 22.04, Penal Code
- Abandoning or Endangering a Child
- Insurance Fraud
An indictment or information for any other felony offense has to be presented within three years from the date of the offense.
If the statute of limitations has not run on your case since your arrest, the case may still be filed, and a court date may be set as courts doors open back up. Sloane Law Firm handles criminal defense cases throughout the state of Texas. If you have a pending case, call our office set up a time to speak with an attorney today!
Arrests by jurisdiction (DFW):
While crime rates decreased by over 22% in Parker County, areas such as Carrolton, Denton and Euless saw an increase in overall crime rates from 2019-2020.
https://www.dps.texas.gov/sites/default/files/documents/crimereports/20/2020cit.pdf
