Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-73
§3297 Cases involving DNA evidence
Title 18 › Part PART II— - CRIMINAL PROCEDURE › Chapter CHAPTER 213— - LIMITATIONS › § 3297
Summary
If DNA testing identifies a person in a felony, the time limit to charge them restarts and runs for the same length as the original limit.
Full Legal Text
Title 18, §3297
Crimes and Criminal Procedure — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
In a case in which DNA testing implicates an identified person in the commission of a felony, no statute of limitations that would otherwise preclude prosecution of the offense shall preclude such prosecution until a period of time following the implication of the person by DNA testing has elapsed that is equal to the otherwise applicable limitation period.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2006—Pub. L. 109–162 struck out “except for a felony offense under chapter 109A,” before “no statute of limitations”.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
Pub. L. 108–405, title II, § 204(c), Oct. 30, 2004, 118 Stat. 2271, provided that: “The
Amendments
made by this section [enacting this section] shall apply to the prosecution of any offense committed before, on, or after the date of the enactment of this section [Oct. 30, 2004] if the applicable limitation period has not yet expired.”
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
18 U.S.C. § 3297
Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal Procedure
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73