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

Overview

In Puerto Rico, the statute of limitations (often shortened to “SOL”) sets a deadline for the government to file criminal charges—or, in some situations, to proceed with prosecution—after an alleged offense.

For a Class D / 4th degree felony, the SOL is governed by Puerto Rico’s criminal limitations rules, which are codified in the Puerto Rico Penal Code (Title 33). DocketMath’s statute-of-limitations calculator uses those statutory limitation periods and applies clearly defined logic for common tolling/exception scenarios.

Limitation period

Default timeline for a Class D / 4th degree felony

Under Puerto Rico law, the limitation period for felonies depends on the felony’s classification. For a Class D felony (4th degree), the applicable baseline SOL is:

• Six (6) years from the date the offense is committed.

That baseline matters because DocketMath needs a starting point to compute an “expiration date” (or latest-filing date) under the statute.

How to think about “date of offense”

When you input the offense date into DocketMath, the calculator anchors the SOL clock to that date and adds the statutory time period (6 years for a Class D felony).

Practical tip: If multiple events exist (for example, a continuing offense or multiple acts), the operative date for limitations can be contested. DocketMath’s standard workflow assumes a single offense date; if you have more than one key date, select the one your case theory treats as the relevant “commission” date.

What the output means

After you run the calculation, DocketMath provides:

• the calculated SOL expiration date, and
• the latest date to file (based on the statutory period and the selected exception/tolling inputs).

If the charging date falls after expiration, you may see a “SOL likely expired” result in the tool. If it falls on or before expiration, the result will reflect “within the limitation period,” subject to exceptions below.

Key exceptions

Puerto Rico’s limitations rules include scenarios where the timeline can change—typically through tolling (pausing or restarting the clock) or other statutory effects.

Because the SOL framework can be impacted by case posture and defendant conduct, DocketMath is designed to let you include key facts that often matter in SOL disputes. Common categories you may see in SOL litigation include:

• Tolling based on defendant conduct or prosecution status
• Special procedural events that can interrupt or extend the limitation window
• Exceptions tied to the nature of the crime, such as offenses with distinctive treatment in limitations law

Common “exception inputs” in DocketMath

When you use DocketMath’s statute-of-limitations calculator, you’ll generally be asked for:

• Offense date (required)
• Felony class (select “Class D / 4th degree”)
• Any applicable tolling/exception facts (optional toggles)

Each time you turn on an exception/tolling factor, DocketMath recalculates the SOL expiration date according to the statutory logic for that scenario.

Practical checklist for accurate inputs

Before you run the calculator, gather the dates and facts that support any exception:

If you only have the offense date, run the “default” calculation first. Then add exceptions one at a time to see how the output changes.

Statute citation

The SOL periods for crimes in Puerto Rico are set out in the Penal Code of Puerto Rico. For limitations of criminal actions, the operative statute is found in:

• 33 L.P.R.A. § 3122 (Limitation of criminal actions)

DocketMath uses this limitation framework for felony classes, including the Class D / 4th degree felony SOL of six (6) years.

Use the calculator

Start with the version of the calculation that matches your goal—typically “when does the SOL expire?” and “is a given filing date timely?”

Step-by-step in DocketMath

1. Open DocketMath’s tool: **/tools/statute-of-limitations
2. Select jurisdiction: **Puerto Rico (US-PR)
3. Choose the offense category:

   • Class D / 4th degree felony
4. Enter the offense date
5. Add any tolling/exception toggles that fit your facts
6. Enter the filing/charging date if the tool prompts for it, to compare against the SOL expiration

How the output changes when you add exceptions

To see how exceptions affect the result, run two calculations:

• Run A (baseline): offense date + Class D selection only
• Run B (with exception): offense date + Class D + one exception/tolling factor

Then compare:

• the baseline SOL expiration date
• the exception-adjusted expiration date

If Run B moves the expiration date forward, that suggests the exception provides additional time under the statutory framework; if Run B leaves it unchanged, the exception toggle may not apply based on the tool’s rules (or your fact pattern may not satisfy the exception criteria).

Quick example (illustrative only)

• Offense date: January 15, 2018
• Baseline SOL (6 years): January 15, 2024 (tool will output the exact expiration date based on its date-handling rules)

If you then add a qualifying statutory tolling event, DocketMath may compute a later expiration date—assuming the tolling logic applies to the event timing you input.

Sources and references

Start with the primary authority for Puerto Rico and confirm the effective date before relying on any output. If the rule has been amended, update the inputs and rerun the calculation.

• 28 U.S.C. § 2415

Related reading

• Choosing the right statute of limitations tool for Vermont — How to choose the right calculator
• Statute of limitations in Singapore: how to estimate the deadline — Full how-to guide with jurisdiction-specific rules
• Choosing the right statute of limitations tool for Connecticut — How to choose the right calculator