Criminal Law Calculator

Calculate deadlines for federal criminal proceedings, sentencing guidelines, appeals, and post-conviction relief under federal criminal law.

federalFederal Criminal CourtsProfessional-grade accuracy
Criminal Law Calculator
Calculate deadlines for federal criminal proceedings and appeals

Criminal Law Calculator

Federal criminal proceeding deadline

Federal Courts
Important: This tool provides deadline calculations based on published court rules. Results are not legal advice. Always verify deadlines with the applicable court rules and consult with counsel when in doubt.
Calculate Deadline
Enter the case details to calculate the court deadline

Options

Common Federal Criminal Law Deadlines

Criminal Appeal (Direct)

Notice of appeal from conviction

14 days

From entry of judgment or order

Speedy Trial Act

Trial commencement requirement

70 days

From indictment or information

Pre-trial Motions

Rule 12 pre-trial motions

14 days

From arraignment (or as court orders)

§ 2255 Habeas Petition

Federal habeas corpus petition

1 year

From conviction becoming final

Federal Criminal Procedure Timeline

Pre-Trial Phase

Initial Appearance
Without unnecessary delay after arrest
Preliminary Hearing
Within 14 days if in custody, 21 if not
Indictment
Within 30 days of arrest (Speedy Trial Act)
Arraignment
Without unnecessary delay after indictment

Trial and Post-Trial

Trial Commencement
Within 70 days of indictment
Post-Trial Motions
14 days from verdict for new trial motion
Sentencing
Without unnecessary delay after conviction
Appeal Notice
14 days from judgment entry
Speedy Trial Act Considerations

Excludable Time Periods

  • • Continuances for case preparation
  • • Pre-trial motion practice time
  • • Competency examinations and hearings
  • • Plea negotiations periods
  • • Interlocutory appeal proceedings
  • • Co-defendant trial scheduling conflicts
Key Deadlines:
• Indictment: 30 days from arrest
• Trial: 70 days from indictment
• Sanctions: Dismissal with or without prejudice

Post-Conviction Relief

  • • § 2255 motions to vacate sentence
  • • § 2241 habeas corpus petitions
  • • Rule 35 sentence reduction motions
  • • Compassionate release under § 3582(c)
  • • Certificate of appealability requirements
  • • Successive petition limitations
Limitation Periods:
• § 2255: 1 year from conviction final
• § 2241: Generally no limitation period
• Rule 35: Within 14 days of sentencing
Strategic Considerations for Criminal Practice

Speedy Trial Strategy

Defense counsel must balance the client's speedy trial rights with the need for adequate case preparation. Waivers of speedy trial rights should be carefully considered and strategically timed.

Pre-Trial Motion Practice

Federal Rule 12 requires most pre-trial motions to be filed within 14 days of arraignment unless the court sets a different deadline. Early motion practice can significantly impact case trajectory.

Plea Negotiation Timing

Federal sentencing guidelines and plea negotiation deadlines require careful coordination. Consider cooperation agreements, acceptance of responsibility reductions, and fast-track programs.

Appeal Preservation

Federal criminal appeals require timely notice and preservation of issues for review. Consider conditional guilty pleas to preserve certain appeal rights while accepting plea benefits.

How to Use This Calculator
Step-by-step instructions for accurate deadline calculations
1

Identify Criminal Proceeding Type

Determine the type of criminal matter: pre-trial motions, plea deadlines, sentencing procedures, appeals, or post-conviction relief.

2

Enter Key Date or Event

Input the triggering date such as indictment, arrest, arraignment, trial date, or sentencing date that establishes the deadline calculation period.

3

Apply Federal Criminal Rules

Consider Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, local court rules, and constitutional speedy trial requirements under the Sixth Amendment.

4

Consider Speedy Trial Act

Apply Speedy Trial Act deadlines including 30-day indictment requirement and 70-day trial commencement deadline with applicable exclusions.

5

Calculate Motion Deadlines

Apply appropriate deadlines for pre-trial motions, discovery requests, plea negotiations, and sentencing-related filings.

6

Account for Appeal Rights

Consider appeal deadlines, post-conviction relief timelines, and habeas corpus petition requirements under federal criminal procedure.

;