Plain English Breakdown
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Rules for Delaying Human Trafficking Court Cases
This law adds human trafficking to the list of crimes where a prosecutor can ask for more time, but it limits how many times and how long they can delay these specific cases.
What This Bill Does
- Adds human trafficking to the list of serious crimes that allow courts to grant delays called continuances based on schedule conflicts.
- Requires judges to give great weight when a prosecutor is busy with another trial, preliminary hearing, or motion to suppress in this court or another court.
- Limits prosecutors to asking for only one delay per human trafficking case if the reason is their schedule conflict.
- Sets a maximum time limit of 10 additional court days for that single allowed delay.
Who It Names or Affects
- Courts and judges handling criminal cases involving human trafficking
- Prosecuting attorneys assigned to these specific cases
Terms To Know
- Continuance
- A delay or postponement of a court hearing or trial to a later date.
- Good cause
- The legal reason required by law for a judge to approve delaying a case, such as the prosecutor having another conflict in their schedule involving specified crimes like human trafficking.
Limits and Unknowns
- This rule only applies when the delay is requested because the prosecutor has another trial, preliminary hearing, or motion to suppress scheduled.
- The bill does not change how courts handle delays for other reasons that are not related to the prosecutor's schedule conflicts.