New York statute
N.Y. Penal Law § 5.05 — Application of chapter to offenses committed before and after enactment
Current through 2026 legislative session (LBDC text via OpenLegislation as of 2026-07-17)
Part of Article 5: General Rules of Construction and Application, New York Penal Law.
Full text of N.Y. Penal Law § 5.05
Statutory text current through the 2026 legislative session (LBDC text via OpenLegislation as of 2026-07-17). This publication reproduces the text of the Consolidated Laws of New York as provided by the New York State Senate's Open Legislation service (Legislative Bill Drafting Commission statutory text); it is not the official statutes of the State of New York.
5.05 Application of chapter to offenses committed before and after
enactment.
1. The provisions of this chapter shall govern the construction of and
punishment for any offense defined in this chapter and committed after
the effective date hereof, as well as the construction and application
of any defense to a prosecution for such an offense.
2. Unless otherwise expressly provided, or unless the context
otherwise requires, the provisions of this chapter shall govern the
construction of and punishment for any offense defined outside of this
chapter and committed after the effective date thereof, as well as the
construction and application of any defense to a prosecution for such an
offense.
3. The provisions of this chapter do not apply to or govern the
construction of and punishment for any offense committed prior to the
effective date of this chapter, or the construction and application of
any defense to a prosecution for such an offense. Such an offense must
be construed and punished according to the provisions of law existing at
the time of the commission thereof in the same manner as if this chapter
had not been enacted.
Official sources
Legal terms used in this section
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.