ACCORDING TO THE ACLU, THE MOST STRIKING FEATURE OF THE ACT IS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF SIGNIFICANT TIME LIMITS FOR CRIMINAL CASE PROSECUTION. INDICTMENTS MUST BE FILED WITHIN 30 DAYS OF ARREST, ARRAIGNMENTS MUST BE HELD WITHIN 10 DAYS AFTER CHARGES HAVE BEEN FILED, AND TRIAL MUST BEGIN WITHIN 30 DAYS OF ARRAIGNMENT. THE ACT INCLUDES NUMEROUS FEATURES TO AVOID OPPRESSIVE MECHANICAL DEADLINES. BECAUSE FINAL TIME LIMITS SPECIFIED IN THE ACT WERE BEING MET IN MOST FEDERAL CASES DURING 1978 (BEFORE FORMAL PASSAGE OF THE ACT), EXTENTION OF THE TIME LIMITS IS UNWARRANTED. EXPERIENCE DEMONSTRATES THE ACT'S EFFECTIVENESS AND THE SUCCESS OF CONGRESS IN FORCING COURTS AND PROSECUTORS TO MODERNIZE THEIR HANDLING OF CRIMINAL CASES. THE FUNDAMENTAL PURPOSE OF THE ACT MUST NOT BE OVERLOOKED: TO GUARANTEE DEFENDANTS IN FEDERAL PROSECUTIONS THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO A SPEEDY TRIAL. (DEP)