2021 Legislative Update - Speedy Trial Changes

Act 252 of the 2021 Regular Legislative Session amended Code of Criminal Procedure Article 701 to reduce the period of time by which the prosecution must file a Bill of Information charging a defendant who is incarcerated on a misdemeanor charge. §(B)(1)(a) now provides that the Bill of Information must be filed within 30 days of the defendant’s arrest (reduced from 45 days) in misdemeanor cases. However, this change in the law does not take effect until January 1, 2022.