After a police report is made, how long would you have to press charges?

Question

I've heard there are time limits on how long you can wait but I'm not sure how long it is.

Answer 1

If enforcement action (arrest) is not done at the time of the crime, in Illinois, you get 18 months.  However, you have to pursue the complaint through the States Attorney rather than the police.  That is for misdemeanors.  For certain felonies, there is no statute of limitations on prosecution.

Any time a victim chooses to not pursue a complaint at the time of the offense, unless otherwise dictated by law, 18 months is a good rule of thumb.

Answer 2

Details?  Generally speaking, if you file a report on criminal activity, that is your part of it; from there it is up to the prosecutor's office (DA) to file charges.