All criminal charges in Washington State have some form of Limitation of Actions, or "Statute of Limitations." The reason our legislature created limitations on actions is to place restrictions on the State or governmental authority regarding how far they can go back in time to "charge" an individual with a criminal case.

As outlined in RCW 9A.04.080, here are the Limitations of Actions that cover all criminal matters in Washington State:

Anytime - Certain serious crimes like murder
20 years
10 years
6 years
5 years
3 years
2 years - Gross Misdemeanors (DUI, Reckless Driving, Assault 4, Theft, etc...)
1 year - Simple Misdemeanors (DWLS 3, Hit and Run [Property], Trespass 2)

If you have been accused of a Crime in the State of Washington, you should always consult with a skilled criminal defense attorney. They will know where your charge falls in this list of timelines, and they you can determine if your prosecution is barred as being outside the Statute of Limitations.

We are seeing more and more cases get "charged" right up to the permissible "end date" for their Statute of Limitations - and some even beyond. Always check to verify if your specific case is inside of the applicable Statute of Limitations.

Problems can arise with this if, for a period of time, you were not "usually and publicly resident within this state." That could act as a "tolling period" in your Statute of Limitations calculation.
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Witt Law Group PS
www.WittLegal.com
(360) 792-1000