How long does a general criminal case take or how long can it drag on?

Criminal cases can be said to be staged almost every day, and the handling of criminal cases is very difficult, which takes a long time compared with other cases. In most cases, it takes about six or seven months to complete these three procedures. In other words, it takes about six or seven months from a person's arrest to a verdict. For a few difficult, major and complicated criminal cases, this process will be greatly prolonged, even more than one or two years.

Legal analysis

The public security organ may impose criminal detention on an active criminal or a major suspect. Detainees should be questioned within 24 hours after detention. A criminal suspect may hire a lawyer to provide him with legal advice, complaints and accusations after the first interrogation by the investigation organ or from the day when compulsory measures are taken. The entrusted lawyer has the right to know the charges charged by the criminal suspect from the investigation organ, to meet the criminal suspect in custody and to know the relevant information from the criminal suspect.

If the public security organ deems it necessary to arrest the detained person, it shall submit it to the people's procuratorate for examination and approval within three days after detention. Under special circumstances, the approval time can be extended by one to four days. For major suspects who commit crimes on the run, commit crimes many times or commit crimes in collusion, the time for submitting for examination and approval may be extended to 30 days. The people's procuratorate shall, within seven days after receiving the approval letter from the public security organ, make a decision on whether to approve or disapprove the arrest.

legal ground

The people's court of Article 208th of the Criminal Procedure Law of People's Republic of China (PRC), when trying a case of public prosecution, shall pronounce a judgment within two months after accepting it, and no later than three months. For a case that may be sentenced to death or an incidental civil lawsuit, if one of the circumstances stipulated in Article 158 of this Law occurs, it may be extended for three months with the approval of the people's court at the next higher level; Due to special circumstances need to be extended, it shall be submitted to the Supreme People's Court for approval. If the people's court changes its jurisdiction, it shall be counted from the date when the changed people's court receives the case. The people's court shall recalculate the time limit for hearing a case transferred to the people's court after the supplementary investigation by the people's procuratorate is completed.