Opinion ID: 2582157
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Discovery Tolling Provision of the Statute of Limitations

Text: Criminal statutes of limitation prescribe the time period within which the prosecution must commence an action on a claim. They serve these purposes: (1) to protect individuals from defending themselves against stale charges; (2) to prevent punishment for acts committed in the remote past; and (3) to insure that accuseds are informed of the decision to prosecute and the general nature of charges with sufficient promptness to allow them to prepare their defenses before evidence of their innocence is weakened by age. Higgins v. People, 868 P.2d 371, 373 (Colo.1994). The limitations period for most crimes begins to run at the time that the criminal act takes place. For example, a prosecution for most felonies must commence within three years from the commission of the crime. § 16-5-401(1). However, the General Assembly has specified numerous crimes for which the statute of limitations does not begin to run until the criminal act is discovered. § 16-5-401(4.5). The discovery tolling provision applies to enumerated crimes, which include theft, criminal impersonation, offenses relating to perjury, unlawful concealment of transactions, and embezzlement or misapplication of funds. § 16-5-401(4.5). [6] For these crimes, until the time of discovery, the statute of limitations is tolled. Because of the discovery tolling provision, the opportunity to prosecute the commission of certain crimes will not be foreclosed by criminal conduct that remains undetected for extended periods of time. The crimes enumerated in the discovery tolling provision of the statute of limitations are similar in that they share the quality of being susceptible to concealment from the victim. [7] See, e.g., 4 Wayne R. LaFave, Jerold H. Israel & Nancy J. King, Criminal Procedure § 18.5(a) (2d ed. 1999 & Supp.2004) (The assumption underlying the rules which usually apply [that the period of limitations begins to run with the commission of the crime] `is that most offenses are known at least to the victim at the time of or soon after its [sic] commission, or that the offense can be discovered by adequate investigation by enforcement officials.'); Robert J. Dieter, Colorado Criminal Practice and Procedure § 9.44 (1996 & Supp.2003) (In certain instances where the offense is not likely to be readily detected upon commission of the underlying criminal act, the running of the statute of limitations does not commence until discovery of the criminal act constituting the offense.). The discovery tolling provision does not apply to crimes such as assault, kidnapping, or robbery, which, by their nature, cannot remain undiscovered by the victim for extended periods of time. See § 18-3-202 to -204, 6 C.R.S. (2003) (assault in the first, second, and third degrees); § 18-3-301 to -302, 6 C.R.S. (2003) (first and second degree kidnapping); § 18-4-301 to -302, 6 C.R.S. (2003) (robbery and aggravated robbery).