SB 453: Criminal procedure: speedy trial.

Existing law requires that a defendant be brought to trial within 60 days of arraignment on an indictment or information in a felony case, or within 30 or 45 days of arraignment or entry of plea in a misdemeanor case, as specified. Under existing law, the case must be dismissed if the defendant did not waive that time limit or consent to an extension of time, as specified, and the case is not brought to trial within the time limit.

This bill would specify certain scenarios that would qualify as good cause to extend these deadlines, including, among other things, if a prosecutor or defense counsel is ill and the anticipated recovery period is shorter than the time it would take for a replacement to prepare for trial, as specified.