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Issuance of Bounced Checks: New Legal Provisions Under Study
Decriminalization between spouses, cancellation of immediate arrest, grace period…, the expected novelties in the regulations concerning checks.
At the House of Representatives, the Minister of Justice Abdellatif Ouahbi announced an update of the legal provisions related to the issuance of bounced checks. Several new measures will thus be introduced. First, the minister mentioned the decriminalization of the issuance of bounced checks between spouses. This act would no longer be considered a crime. Such cases will now be handled within the framework of civil matters.
Similarly, if the beneficiary of the incriminated check hands it over to another person as payment, the prosecutions will be definitively dropped against the issuer. The issuer of the check will then be immediately released. If he is on the run, the arrest warrant issued against him will be canceled.
Furthermore, Ouahbi introduces the use of electronic bracelets. Indeed, the issuer of the check will benefit from a one-month grace period to settle the dispute; during this time, he will be required to wear an electronic bracelet by judicial decision. Upon expiration of this period, he may benefit from an additional extension.
Moreover, the use of arrest will only be possible from a certain amount, not yet fixed. This point is, in fact, still under discussion with the concerned parties, the minister affirms.
