La. Code Crim. Proc. art. 701 — LA Code / Code code-of-criminal-procedure / Article 701
Right to a speedy trial
Status: in_force

A. The state and the defendant have the right to a speedy trial.

B. The time period for filing a bill of information or indictment after arrest shall be as follows:

(1)(a) When the defendant is continued in custody subsequent to an arrest, an indictment or information shall be filed within thirty days of the arrest if the defendant is being held for a misdemeanor and within sixty days of the arrest if the defendant is being held for a felony.

(b) When the defendant is continued in custody subsequent to an arrest, an indictment shall be filed within one hundred twenty days of the arrest if the defendant is being held for a felony for which the punishment may be death or life imprisonment.

(2)(a) When the defendant is not continued in custody subsequent to arrest, an indictment or information shall be filed within ninety days of the arrest if the defendant is booked with a misdemeanor and one hundred fifty days of the arrest if the defendant is booked with a felony.

(b) Failure to institute prosecution as provided in Subparagraph (1) of this Paragraph shall result in release of the defendant if, after contradictory hearing with the district attorney, just cause for the failure is not shown. If just cause is shown, the court shall reconsider bail for the defendant. Failure to institute prosecution as provided in this Subparagraph shall result in the release of the bail obligation if, after contradictory hearing with the district attorney, just cause for the delay is not shown.

C. Upon filing of a bill of information or indictment, the district attorney shall set the matter for arraignment within thirty days unless just cause for a longer delay is shown.

D.(1) A motion by the defendant for a speedy trial, in order to be valid, must be accompanied by an affidavit by defendant's counsel certifying that the defendant and his counsel are prepared to proceed to trial within the delays set forth in this Article. Except as provided in Subparagraph (3) of this Paragraph, after the filing of a motion for a speedy trial by the defendant and his counsel, the time period for commencement of trial shall be as follows:

(a) The trial of a defendant charged with a felony shall commence within one hundred twenty days if he is continued in custody and within one hundred eighty days if he is not continued in custody.

(b) The trial of a defendant charged with a misdemeanor shall commence within thirty days if he is continued in custody and within sixty days if he is not continued in custody.

(2) Failure to commence trial within the time periods provided above shall result in the release of the defendant without bail or in the discharge of the bail obligation, if after contradictory hearing with the district attorney, just cause for the delay is not shown.

(3) After a motion for a speedy trial has been filed by the defendant, if the defendant files any subsequent motion which requires a contradictory hearing, the court may suspend, in accordance with Article 580, or dismiss upon a finding of bad faith the pending speedy trial motion. In addition, the period of time within which the trial is required to commence, as set forth by Article 578, may be suspended, in accordance with Article 580, from the time that the subsequent motion is filed by the defendant until the court rules upon such motion.

E. "Just cause" as used in this Article shall include any grounds beyond the control of the State or the Court.

F. A motion for a speedy trial filed by the defendant, but not verified by the affidavit of his counsel, shall be set for contradictory hearing within thirty days.

Amended by Acts 1981, No. 181, §1; Acts 1982, No. 462, §1; Acts 1993, No. 682, §1; Acts 2007, No. 295, §1; Acts 2018, No. 259, §1; Acts 2021, No. 252, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2022.