For petty offenses, the period to file an accusatory instrument is within how long after the commission?

• A. Two years
• B. One year
• C. Three years
• D. Four years

Answer: (B)

The period to start prosecution for petty offenses is short because these are the least serious offenses and the law encourages prompt action. The accusatory instrument (a complaint or information) must be filed within one year from the date the offense was committed. This one-year window keeps cases timely and ensures evidence is still fresh. If the instrument isn’t filed within that time, the case is generally barred by prescription, unless the period was interrupted by a valid event such as the filing of the information itself that tolls the running of prescription. The other time spans listed are not applicable to petty offenses, which is why one year is the correct limit.