Why speedy trial is important

The right to a speedy trial also is crucial to ensuring that a criminal defendant receives a fair trial. If too much time elapses between the alleged crime and the trial, witnesses may die or leave the area, their memories may fade, and physical evidence may be lost. The amendment guarantees the rights of the accused in criminal prosecutions. In Beavers v. Haubert , the U. There may be reasons for some delays. In Pollard v. United States , the U.

Supreme Court concludes that in cases in which a delay in sentencing a defendant did not happen on purpose, but by accident, and where it was quickly taken care of, the Sixth Amendment has not been violated. In United States v. Ewell , the U. In Ewell, the defendants had been indicted on certain drug charges, then convicted and sentenced.

When the defendants appealed, the original indictments were thrown out because they were not prepared correctly. Nineteen months after the original indictments, the government brought new, corrected indictments on the same charges.

Aggravating and Mitigating Factors in Criminal Sentencing. Restitution for Crime Victims. Receiving Immunity for Testimony in a Criminal Case. Classification of Criminal Offenses. Admissibility of Evidence in Criminal Cases. Criminal Appeals. Motions for a New Trial in Criminal Cases. Competency to Stand Trial for Criminal Defendants. Continuances in Criminal Cases. Judgments of Acquittal in Criminal Trials. Joint Trials for Criminal Defendants.

Immigration Removal Proceedings and Criminal Law. Miranda Rights for Criminal Suspects. Right to Record Police Officers. Arrests and Arrest Warrants. Constitutional Rights in Criminal Proceedings. Discovery in Criminal Cases. Hearsay in Criminal Cases. Stages of a Criminal Case. Stages of a Criminal Trial. In Iowa, there are two different laws that help to protect criminal defendants from languishing in the criminal justice system. First, Iowa law requires that anyone charged with any crime from a serious misdemeanor to a felony has the right to a speedy indictment.

Second, after an indictment is filed, Iowa law requires that a defendant is brought to trial within 90 days. If the trial does not occur within 90 days, the court must dismiss the charges unless the defendant affirmatively waives the right to a speedy trial or there is good cause for the delay. However, defendants cannot intentionally, or even unintentionally, cause their own delays to their trial such that the speedy trial deadline is violated.

Where time to trial is delayed because a defendant files numerous motions, obstructs the gathering of evidence, or for any other reason, this will not count against the day speedy trial deadline—those delays stop the clock for those periods of time.

Finally, in Iowa, even if a defendant waives his or her right to a speedy trial, all trials must be brought within one year of when the defendant is arraigned by the court. Again, the state may only circumvent this deadline for good cause shown.

The right to a speedy trial serves several important purposes. First, requiring a speedy trial helps to ensure that a defendant does not have to spend an unreasonable amount of time in jail while awaiting charges, particularly when posting a bond is not possible. It also helps to respect and protect the mental health of the defendant by making sure that the defendant is not kept in suspense or anxiety over pending criminal charges for months or years at a time.