Legal Definitions - Uniform Mandatory Disposition of Detainers Act

The Uniform Mandatory Disposition of Detainers Act is a model law, first proposed in 1958, designed to ensure that a state promptly addresses any outstanding criminal charges against a person already imprisoned within that same state. If a prisoner has unresolved charges pending in the same state where they are currently incarcerated, this Act allows them to make a written request for those charges to be brought to trial or otherwise resolved within a specific timeframe. Its purpose is to prevent indefinite delays in prosecuting charges, which can hinder a prisoner's rehabilitation and make it difficult to prepare a defense. Many states have adopted this Act, or a similar version, into their own laws.

Here are some examples illustrating how the Uniform Mandatory Disposition of Detainers Act might apply:

• Example 1: A person is serving a sentence for burglary in one county of State A. While incarcerated, they learn there's an old, untried charge for grand theft from another county within State A that has never been resolved. The prisoner can invoke the Uniform Mandatory Disposition of Detainers Act by sending a written request to the court or prosecutor handling the grand theft charge. This compels State A to either bring the grand theft case to trial within the Act's specified timeframe or dismiss the charges, preventing the prisoner from having an indefinite, unresolved legal matter hanging over them while already serving a sentence in the same state.

• Example 2: Sarah is serving a sentence in State B for a probation violation. She discovers there's an outstanding warrant and an untried charge for shoplifting from a different city within State B that was filed before her probation violation. Sarah can use the Uniform Mandatory Disposition of Detainers Act to demand that the shoplifting charge be addressed. Upon her written request, the authorities in State B must either proceed with the trial for shoplifting within the statutory period or drop the charge. This ensures that Sarah doesn't complete her current sentence only to immediately face an old, forgotten charge within the same state, allowing her to resolve all legal matters.

• Example 3: David is imprisoned in State C for a felony conviction. During his incarceration, a prosecutor in a different district within State C files new charges against him for a separate incident of identity theft, but these charges remain untried. David can utilize the Uniform Mandatory Disposition of Detainers Act. By submitting a written request, he can force the State C authorities to bring the identity theft charges to trial promptly. This prevents the state from indefinitely delaying the prosecution of the new charges, which could impact David's potential parole or release date, and ensures he has the opportunity to defend himself while evidence and witnesses are still available.