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The Stages of a Criminal Case in California

All criminal cases in California are serious for those involved. If you have been charged with a crime, the more you know about the criminal process the better prepared you will be to fight the charges and gain an acquittal.

Although every criminal case in California is different based on the individual elements of arrests, accusations, and evidence, there is a basic form that these cases follow.

The California criminal process always starts with an arrest on charges. The charges against you depend on the crime, ranging from homicide, to fraud, to felony DUI, and even to petty theft (a misdemeanor).

After your arrest, you will have an arraignment. The arraignment must occur within 24 hours of your original arrest, giving you an opportunity to hear the charges against you, learn more about your legal rights, and in some cases, enter a plea of guilty or not-guilty.

After bail is set, the case will go into preliminary hearings where the prosecution and defense lay out the basics of their arguments. This may look like an actual trial, but no decision of guilty or not-guilty is reached.

After the preliminary hearings, and after the prosecution and defense have an opportunity to file pre-trial motions, the full criminal trial will commence. The trials themselves can take many forms, but normally progress from opening arguments, to evidence and witnesses, to closing arguments, then to a verdict.

If the defendant is found guilty, the judge will sentence them then. In felony cases, this will involve prison terms up to life. If the defendant is acquitted on charges, they get to walk free.

If you or someone close to you has been arrested for a crime in California, you need to take the California criminal process seriously. Your success navigating this process may make the difference between going to jail or not, which could affect you for the rest of your life.

The first step after being arrested for a crime in California should be to contact a Ventura criminal defense attorney. An experienced criminal lawyer will be able to guide you through this process, presenting the best possible case to help earn an acquittal on the charges facing you.

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