Human right to trial without arbitrary or indefinite delay

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Speedy trial</span>

Speedy trial

<p>In <a href="/en/Criminal_law" title="Criminal law" class="wl">criminal law</a>, the right to a <b>speedy trial</b> is a <a href="/en/Human_right" title="Human right" class="mw-redirect wl">human right</a> under which it is asserted that a government <a href="/en/Prosecutor" title="Prosecutor" class="wl">prosecutor</a> may not delay the <a href="/en/Trial" title="Trial" class="wl">trial</a> of a criminal <a href="/en/Suspect" title="Suspect" class="wl">suspect</a> arbitrarily and indefinitely. Otherwise, the power to impose such delays would effectively allow prosecutors to send anyone to jail for an arbitrary length of time without trial.</p>

<div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none" about="#mwt1">Human right to trial without arbitrary or indefinite delay</div>
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.sidebar{width:100%!important;clear:both;float:none!important;margin-left:0!important;margin-right:0!important}}</style><table class="sidebar nomobile nowraplinks plainlist"><tbody><tr><th class="sidebar-title"><a href="/en/Criminal_procedure" title="Criminal procedure" class="wl">Criminal procedure</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-above" style="font-weight:normal; padding:0 0 0.6em;">
Criminal trials and convictions</td></tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading notheme" style="background:#aaddff; color:#000;">
Rights of the accused</th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content" style="padding-top:0.25em;">
<div class="hlist ">
<ul><li><a href="/en/Right_to_a_fair_trial" title="Right to a fair trial" class="wl">Fair trial</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Pre-trial" title="Pre-trial" class="mw-redirect wl">Pre-trial</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Speedy_trial" title="Speedy trial" class="wl">Speedy trial</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Jury_trial" title="Jury trial" class="wl">Jury trial</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Right_to_counsel" title="Right to counsel" class="wl">Counsel</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Presumption_of_innocence" title="Presumption of innocence" class="wl">Presumption of innocence</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Exclusionary_rule" title="Exclusionary rule" class="wl">Exclusionary rule</a><sup><small>1</small></sup></li>
<li><a href="/en/Self-incrimination" title="Self-incrimination" class="wl">Self-incrimination</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Double_jeopardy" title="Double jeopardy" class="wl">Double jeopardy</a><sup><small>2</small></sup></li>
<li><a href="/en/Bail" title="Bail" class="wl">Bail</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Appeal" title="Appeal" class="wl">Appeal</a></li></ul>
</div></td>
</tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading notheme" style="background:#aaddff; color:#000;">
<a href="/en/Verdict" title="Verdict" class="wl">Verdict</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content" style="padding-top:0.25em;">
<div class="hlist ">
<ul><li><a href="/en/Conviction" title="Conviction" class="wl">Conviction</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Acquittal" title="Acquittal" class="wl">Acquittal</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Not_proven" title="Not proven" class="wl">Not proven</a><sup><small>3</small></sup></li>
<li><a href="/en/Directed_verdict" title="Directed verdict" class="mw-redirect wl">Directed verdict</a></li></ul>
</div></td>
</tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading notheme" style="background:#aaddff; color:#000;">
<a href="/en/Sentence_(law)" title="Sentence (law)" class="wl">Sentencing</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content" style="padding-top:0.25em;">
<div class="hlist ">
<ul><li><a href="/en/Mandatory_sentencing" title="Mandatory sentencing" class="wl">Mandatory</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Suspended_sentence" title="Suspended sentence" class="wl">Suspended</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Custodial_sentence" title="Custodial sentence" class="wl">Custodial</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Periodic_detention" title="Periodic detention" class="wl">Periodic</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Discharge_(sentence)" title="Discharge (sentence)" class="wl">Discharge</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Sentencing_guidelines" title="Sentencing guidelines" class="wl">Guidelines</a></li></ul>
</div>
<ul><li><a href="/en/Totality_principle" title="Totality principle" class="wl">Totality</a><sup><small>5,<span>&nbsp;</span>6</small></sup></li>
<li><a href="/en/Dangerous_offender" title="Dangerous offender" class="wl">Dangerous offender</a><sup><small>4,<span>&nbsp;</span>5</small></sup></li></ul>
<div class="hlist ">
<ul><li><a href="/en/Capital_punishment" title="Capital punishment" class="wl">Capital punishment</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Execution_warrant" title="Execution warrant" class="wl">Execution warrant</a></li></ul>
</div>
<ul><li><a href="/en/Cruel_and_unusual_punishment" title="Cruel and unusual punishment" class="wl">Cruel and unusual punishment</a></li></ul>
<div class="hlist ">
<ul><li><a href="/en/Imprisonment" title="Imprisonment" class="wl">Imprisonment</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Life_imprisonment" title="Life imprisonment" class="wl">Life imprisonment</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Indefinite_imprisonment" title="Indefinite imprisonment" class="wl">Indefinite imprisonment</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Three-strikes_law" title="Three-strikes law" class="wl">Three-strikes law</a></li></ul>
</div></td>
</tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading notheme" style="background:#aaddff; color:#000;">
Post-sentencing</th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content" style="padding-top:0.25em;">
<div class="hlist ">
<ul><li><a href="/en/Parole" title="Parole" class="wl">Parole</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Probation" title="Probation" class="wl">Probation</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Life_imprisonment_in_England_and_Wales" title="Life imprisonment in England and Wales" class="wl">Tariff</a><span>&nbsp;</span><sup><small>6</small></sup></li>
<li><a href="/en/Life_imprisonment_in_England_and_Wales" title="Life imprisonment in England and Wales" class="wl">Life licence</a><sup><small>6</small></sup></li>
<li><a href="/en/Criminal_justice" title="Criminal justice" class="wl">Criminal justice</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Exoneration" title="Exoneration" class="wl">Exoneration</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Habitual_offender" title="Habitual offender" class="wl">Habitual offender</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Miscarriage_of_justice" title="Miscarriage of justice" class="wl">Miscarriage of justice</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Pardon" title="Pardon" class="wl">Pardon</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Recidivism" title="Recidivism" class="wl">Recidivism</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Rehabilitation_(penology)" title="Rehabilitation (penology)" class="wl">Rehabilitation</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Restorative_justice" title="Restorative justice" class="wl">Restorative justice</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Sex_offender_registry" title="Sex offender registry" class="wl">Sex offender registry</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Sexually_violent_predator_laws" title="Sexually violent predator laws" class="wl">Sexually violent predator laws</a><sup><small>1</small></sup></li></ul>
</div></td>
</tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading notheme" style="background:#aaddff; color:#000;">
Related areas of law</th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content" style="padding-top:0.25em;">
<div class="hlist ">
<ul><li><a href="/en/Civil_procedure" title="Civil procedure" class="wl">Civil procedure</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Category:Criminal_defenses" title="Category:Criminal defenses" class="wl">Criminal defenses</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Criminal_law" title="Criminal law" class="wl">Criminal law</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Evidence_(law)" title="Evidence (law)" class="wl">Evidence</a></li></ul>
</div></td>
</tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading notheme" style="background:#aaddff; color:#000;">
Portals</th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content" style="padding-top:0.25em;;padding-bottom:0.75em;">
<div class="hlist ">
<ul><li><span class="noviewer"><a href="/en/File:Balance,_by_David.svg" class="mw-file-description image wl"><img loading="lazy" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/17/Balance%2C_by_David.svg/30px-Balance%2C_by_David.svg.png" decoding="async" data-file-width="606" data-file-height="558" data-file-type="drawing" height="28" width="30" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/17/Balance%2C_by_David.svg/46px-Balance%2C_by_David.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/17/Balance%2C_by_David.svg/61px-Balance%2C_by_David.svg.png 2x" alt="Balance%2C_by_David.svg"></a></span><span>&nbsp;</span><a href="/en/Portal:Law" title="Portal:Law" class="wl">Law<span> </span>portal</a></li></ul>
</div></td>
</tr><tr><td class="sidebar-below" style="padding:0.4em;border-top:1px #aaa solid;font-weight:normal;font-size:smaller; font-size:100%;border-bottom:1px solid #aaa;">
<div class="hlist ">
<ul><li><span style="font-size:85%;"><sup><small>1</small></sup><span>&nbsp;</span><a href="/en/Courts_of_the_United_States" title="Courts of the United States" class="mw-redirect wl">US courts</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:85%;"><sup><small>2</small></sup><span>&nbsp;</span>Not in <a href="/en/Courts_of_England_and_Wales" title="Courts of England and Wales" class="wl">English/Welsh courts</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:85%;"><sup><small>3</small></sup><span>&nbsp;</span><a href="/en/Courts_of_Scotland" title="Courts of Scotland" class="wl">Scottish courts</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:85%;"><sup><small>4</small></sup><span>&nbsp;</span>English/Welsh courts</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:85%;"><sup><small>5</small></sup><span>&nbsp;</span><a href="/en/Courts_of_Canada" title="Courts of Canada" class="mw-redirect wl">Canadian courts</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:85%;"><sup><small>6</small></sup><span>&nbsp;</span><a href="/en/Courts_of_the_United_Kingdom" title="Courts of the United Kingdom" class="mw-redirect wl">UK courts</a></span></li></ul>
</div></td></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-navbar"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1063604349" typeof="mw:Extension/templatestyles">.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:inline;font-size:88%;font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .navbar-collapse{float:left;text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .navbar-boxtext{word-spacing:0}.mw-parser-output .navbar ul{display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;line-height:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::before{margin-right:-0.125em;content:"[ "}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::after{margin-left:-0.125em;content:" ]"}.mw-parser-output .navbar li{word-spacing:-0.125em}.mw-parser-output .navbar a>span,.mw-parser-output .navbar a>abbr{text-decoration:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-mini abbr{font-variant:small-caps;border-bottom:none;text-decoration:none;cursor:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-full{font-size:114%;margin:0 7em}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-mini{font-size:114%;margin:0 4em}</style><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/en/Template:Criminal_procedure_(trial)" title="Template:Criminal procedure (trial)" class="wl"><abbr>v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/en/Template_talk:Criminal_procedure_(trial)" title="Template talk:Criminal procedure (trial)" class="wl"><abbr>t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a rel="mw:ExtLink" href="//en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:Criminal_procedure_(trial)&amp;action=edit" class="external text" target="_blank"><abbr>e</abbr></a></li></ul></div></td></tr></tbody></table>

<p>Although it is important for the protection of speedy trial rights for there to be a <a href="/en/Court" title="Court" class="wl">court</a> in which a defendant may complain about the unreasonable delay of the trial, it is also important that nations implement structures that avoid the delay.<span class="mw-ref reference" id="cite_ref-1"><a href="#cite_note-1" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 1;"><span class="mw-reflink-text">[1]</span></a></span></p>



In criminal law, the right to a speedy trial is a human right under which it is asserted that a government prosecutor may not delay the trial of a criminal suspect arbitrarily and indefinitely. Otherwise, the power to impose such delays would effectively allow prosecutors to send anyone to jail for an arbitrary length of time without trial. Although it is important for the protection of speedy trial rights for there to be a court in which a defendant may complain about the unreasonable delay of the trial, it is also important that nations implement structures that avoid the delay. 