Canon 1152

1. Every penal action is extinguished by the death of the accused, by pardon granted by competent authority and by prescription. 2. A penal action is extinguished by prescription after

three years, unless it is a question of: (1) delicts reserved

to the Apostolic See; (2) actions for those delicts mentioned in

cann. 1450 and 1453, which are prescribed after five years; (3)

delicts which are not punishable under the common law, if the

particular law has determined another period for prescription.

3. Prescription runs from the day on which the delict was committed, or, in the case of a permanent and habitual delict, from

the day it ceased.