Statute of Limitations for Class D / 4th Degree Felony in Kansas

Overview

In Kansas, the statute of limitations (SOL) sets a deadline for the state to file (or bring) a criminal case after the alleged conduct. For a Class D / 4th degree felony, Kansas uses a general SOL framework found in K.S.A. § 21-6701.

DocketMath’s statute-of-limitations calculator is built to work from that general/default rule when there isn’t a claim-type-specific special deadline.

Limitation period

General SOL period for Kansas felonies under K.S.A. § 21-6701

For the general rule used by DocketMath, the SOL period is:

• 0.5 years (i.e., 6 months)

This is the “default” limitations period applied under Kansas’s statute governing criminal limitations generally.

How the timing works in practice (what you should measure)

When you’re calculating an SOL deadline, you usually need at least these two inputs:

1. Date of the alleged offense (the starting point)
2. Whether any exception tolls, extends, or otherwise changes the deadline

Because you’re focused on a Class D / 4th degree felony, Kansas’s default SOL period of 6 months is the baseline you would test first.

Example timeline (illustrative)

• Alleged offense date: January 10, 2026
• Default SOL length: 6 months
• Baseline deadline would fall around July 10, 2026 (subject to exceptions and precise counting rules the calculator applies)

If an exception applies, the effective deadline may move later.

DocketMath output behavior

DocketMath’s statute-of-limitations tool is designed so the output changes when you:

• change the offense date, and/or
• indicate that an exception applies (if you have that information)

So the workflow is typically:

• run the baseline first using the offense date
• then evaluate whether any exception/tolling facts exist that could extend or restart the limitations period

Key exceptions

Kansas criminal SOL rules can be affected by facts that toll the limitations period, delay commencement, or alter timing based on circumstances outside the ordinary offense-to-filing window.

Because your brief did not provide an exception list specific to Class D / 4th degree felony, this section focuses on the categories of exceptions you should check before relying on the 6-month baseline. (This is not legal advice—think of it as a checklist for factual review.)

Common categories that can change an SOL deadline

Use the following checklist to identify whether an exception may be relevant:

Practical “before you calculate” checklist

Before you run DocketMath, gather:

• when law enforcement learned of the offense
• whether the defendant was known and reachable
• whether the conduct continued past an initial incident

Statute citation

Kansas’s general/default statute of limitations for criminal cases is:

• K.S.A. § 21-6701
  Source (Kansas Legislature): https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/s/statute/021_000_0000_chapter/021_067_0000_article/021_067_0001_section/021_067_0001_k.pdf?utm_source=openai

For your requested classification, the general/default period used by the tool (per your jurisdiction data) is:

• **General SOL Period: 0.5 years (6 months)

Again, no claim-type-specific special rule was provided/found for Class D / 4th degree felony in the brief. The content therefore treats K.S.A. § 21-6701’s general SOL as the starting point.

Use the calculator

To calculate the SOL deadline using DocketMath, start with the baseline inputs and then test exceptions if you have supporting facts.

Recommended inputs in DocketMath (statute-of-limitations)

• Offense date: the date the conduct occurred
• Jurisdiction: **Kansas (US-KS)
• Charge type: Class D / 4th degree felony (tool uses the general/default SOL unless an exception is specified)
• Exception/tolling indicators: select the options provided by the calculator if your tool version supports them

What changes the output

Run at least two passes:

1. Baseline run

   • Use only the offense date
   • Expected output: a deadline based on 0.5 years (6 months) under K.S.A. § 21-6701

2. Exception run (if applicable)

   • Add any tolling/exception indicators the tool supports
   • Expected output: a later (or otherwise adjusted) deadline compared to the baseline

Output checks you should do

After you run DocketMath, verify:

• The calculator is using Kansas rules (US-KS)
• The start date matches the actual offense date you intend
• The tool is not substituting a different classification/SOL category

If you’re comparing to case activity, match output timing to:

• filing date (if available), or
• key procedural milestones that can affect SOL analysis

For hands-on use, go to: **/tools/statute-of-limitations

Related reading

• Choosing the right statute of limitations tool for Vermont — Tool comparison
• Statute of limitations in Singapore: how to estimate the deadline — How-to guide
• Choosing the right statute of limitations tool for Connecticut — Tool comparison