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Summary offenses involving vehicles - 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5553

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     § 5553.  Summary offenses involving vehicles.
        (a)  General rule.--Except as provided in subsection (b) or
     (c), proceedings for summary offenses under Title 75 (relating
     to vehicles) must be commenced within 30 days after the
     commission of the alleged offense or within 30 days after the
     discovery of the commission of the offense or the identity of
     the offender, whichever is later, and not thereafter.
        (b)  Minor offenses.--(Deleted by amendment).
        (c)  Exceptions.--
            (1)  Where proceedings are timely commenced against a
        person reasonably believed to have committed the summary
        offense or offenses charged and it subsequently appears that
        a person other than the person charged is the offender,
        proceedings may be commenced against the other person within
        30 days after the identity of the person is discovered and
        not thereafter.
            (2)  Proceedings for summary offenses under Title 75 may
        be commenced within 365 days after the commission of the
        offense, the discovery of the commission of the offense or
        the discovery of the identity of the offender, whichever is
        later, and not thereafter if the offense involved an accident
        resulting in the bodily injury or death of any person.
            (3)  Where a police officer reasonably believes that
        there are multiple summary offenses arising out of the same
        conduct or the same criminal episode and that an offense
        under 75 Pa.C.S. § 1543 (relating to driving while operating
        privilege is suspended or revoked) has occurred, proceedings
        on all summary offenses arising from the conduct or episode
        may be commenced at the same time and must be commenced
        within 30 days after the commission of the alleged offenses
        or within 30 days after the discovery of the commission of
        the offenses or the identity of the offender or within 30
        days after the police officer receives verification of the
        basis for the suspension from the Department of
        Transportation as required under 75 Pa.C.S. § 1543(d),
        whichever is later, and not thereafter.
        (d)  Local ordinances on overtime parking.--Local ordinances
     pertaining to overtime parking shall be subject to the
     provisions of this section.
        (e)  Disposition of proceedings within three years.--No
     proceedings shall be held or action taken pursuant to a summary
     offense under Title 75 subsequent to three years after the
     commission of the offense.
     (Apr. 28, 1978, P.L.202, No.53, eff. 60 days; Oct. 5, 1980,
     P.L.693, No.142, eff. 60 days; June 15, 1982, P.L.512, No.141,
     eff. 60 days; Nov. 29, 2004, P.L.1325, No.166, eff. 60 days;
     Nov. 29, 2004, P.L.1364, No.176, eff. imd.)

        2004 Amendments.  Act 166 amended subsecs. (c) and (e) and
     Act 176 amended subsecs. (a) and (c) and deleted subsec. (b).
     Act 176 overlooked the amendment by Act 166, but the amendments
     do not conflict in substance and have both been given effect in
     setting forth the text of section 5553.
        Cross References.  Section 5553 is referred to in section
     5554 of this title.

Last modified: November 27, 2007