What happened? / I was arrested last night
I was arrested last night.
Six guides answer nearly everything people ask in the first two days. If you read only one, read the first.
What usually happens
Most people arrested in California are released before their first court date, and most cases end without a trial.
And the version people are most afraid of
Held until the first court date, charged with the most serious version of what happened, and taken to trial. It happens, and the guides say when it is a real risk for a case like yours. But it is the exception, not the default.
Read first · 9 min
I Was Arrested Last Night in California. What Happens Now?
Today · 10 min
They Didn’t Read Me My Rights. Is My Case Dismissed?
This week · 14 min
How a Domestic Violence Case Affects Child Custody in California
Answers: what flips the custody presumption against you, how long it lasts, and why no conviction is needed.
This week · 15 min
What Happens After Arraignment in California? Conditions of Release Explained
Before court · 18 min
What Happens at Arraignment in California
This is not your situation? Go back to the six sentences, or search in your own words at the top of the page.