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California legal term

backlog in California Criminal Law

Current through 2026 California legislative session

In California criminal law, “backlog” is a term defined by statute rather than by its everyday meaning. Its statutory definition — quoted verbatim below — controls how the term is applied throughout the California criminal code.

What does “backlog” mean in California criminal law?

“backlog” means the number of cases for which the department did not initiate an investigation within six months of the case being added to the APPS or has not completed investigatory work within six months of initiating an investigation on the case. (Cal. Penal Code § 30012)

Statutes defining or using this term

Related terms in the same statutes

This reference is informational and is not legal advice.