text:
(a) Upon request by a state or local agency, the Department of Justice shall notify the state or local agency as to whether an individual employed as a custodial or transportation officer and authorized by the employing agency to carry a firearm, is prohibited or subsequently becomes prohibited from possessing, receiving, owning, or purchasing a firearm pursuant to state or federal law. If the prohibition is temporary, the notice shall indicate the date on which the prohibition expires. However, the notice shall not provide any other information with respect to the basis for the prohibition.

(b) Before the department provides the information specified in subdivision (a), the officer shall provide the department with his or her fingerprints and other identifying information deemed necessary by the department.

(c) The department may charge the officer a fee sufficient to reimburse its costs for furnishing the information specified in subdivision (a). A local law enforcement agency may pay this fee for the officer.

(d) The notice required by this section shall not apply to persons receiving treatment under subdivision (a) of Section 8100 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2008, Ch. 698, Sec. 11. Effective January 1, 2009.)


kind: section

code: PEN

text:
(a) It is the intent of the Legislature to establish policies and procedures to address issues related to the downloading and storage data recorded by a body-worn camera worn by a peace officer. These policies and procedures shall be based on best practices.

(b) When establishing policies and procedures for the implementation and operation of a body-worn camera system, law enforcement agencies, departments, or entities shall consider the following best practices regarding the downloading and storage of body-worn camera data:

(1) Designate the person responsible for downloading the recorded data from the body-worn camera. If the storage system does not have automatic downloading capability, the officer’s supervisor should take immediate physical custody of the camera and should be responsible for downloading the data in the case of an incident involving the use of force by an officer, an officer-involved shooting, or other serious incident.

(2) Establish when data should be downloaded to ensure the data is entered into the system in a timely manner, the cameras are properly maintained and ready for the next use, and for purposes of tagging and categorizing the data.

(3) Establish specific measures to prevent data tampering, deleting, and copying, including prohibiting the unauthorized use, duplication, or distribution of body-worn camera data.

(4) Categorize and tag body-worn camera video at the time the data is downloaded and classified according to the type of event or incident captured in the data.

(5) Specifically state the length of time that recorded data is to be stored.

(A) Unless subparagraph (B) or (C) applies, nonevidentiary data including video and audio recorded by a body-worn camera should be retained for a minimum of 60 days, after which it may be erased, destroyed, or recycled. An agency may keep data for more than 60 days to have it available in case of a civilian complaint and to preserve transparency.

(B) Evidentiary data including video and audio recorded by a body-worn camera under this section should be retained for a minimum of two years under any of the following circumstances:

(i) The recording is of an incident involving the use of force by a peace officer or an officer-involved shooting.

(ii) The recording is of an incident that leads to the detention or arrest of an individual.

(iii) The recording is relevant to a formal or informal complaint against a law enforcement officer or a law enforcement agency.

(C) If evidence that may be relevant to a criminal prosecution is obtained from a recording made by a body-worn camera under this section, the law enforcement agency should retain the recording for any time in addition to that specified in subparagraphs (A) and (B), and in the same manner as is required by law for other evidence that may be relevant to a criminal prosecution.

(D) In determining a retention schedule, the agency should work with its legal counsel to determine a retention schedule to ensure that storage policies and practices are in compliance with all relevant laws and adequately preserve evidentiary chains of custody.

(E) Records or logs of access and deletion of data from body-worn cameras should be retained permanently.

(6) State where the body-worn camera data will be stored, including, for example, an in-house server that is managed internally, or an online cloud database that is managed by a third-party vendor.

(7) If using a third-party vendor to manage the data storage system, the following factors should be considered to protect the security and integrity of the data:

(A) Using an experienced and reputable third-party vendor.

(B) Entering into contracts that govern the vendor relationship and protect the agency’s data.

(C) Using a system that has a built-in audit trail to prevent data tampering and unauthorized access.

(D) Using a system that has a reliable method for automatically backing up data for storage.

(E) Consulting with internal legal counsel to ensure the method of data storage meets legal requirements for chain-of-custody concerns.

(F) Using a system that includes technical assistance capabilities.

(8) Require that all recorded data from body-worn cameras are property of their respective law enforcement agency and shall not be accessed or released for any unauthorized purpose, explicitly prohibit agency personnel from accessing recorded data for personal use and from uploading recorded data onto public and social media internet websites, and include sanctions for violations of this prohibition.

(c) (1) For purposes of this section, “evidentiary data” refers to data of an incident or encounter that could prove useful for investigative purposes, including, but not limited to, a crime, an arrest or citation, a search, a use of force incident, or a confrontational encounter with a member of the public. The retention period for evidentiary data are subject to state evidentiary laws.

(2) For purposes of this section, “nonevidentiary data” refers to data that does not necessarily have value to aid in an investigation or prosecution, such as data of an incident or encounter that does not lead to an arrest or citation, or data of general activities the officer might perform while on duty.

(d) This section shall not be interpreted to limit the public’s right to access recorded data under the California Public Records Act (Division 10 (commencing with Section 7920.000) of Title 1 of the Government Code).

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 615, Sec. 340. (AB 474) Effective January 1, 2022. Operative January 1, 2023, pursuant to Sec. 463 of Stats. 2021, Ch. 615.)

chapter: 4.5. Peace Officers

path: 3. ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS REGARDING CRIMINAL PROCEDURE > 4.5. Peace Officers


text:
(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, all welfare fraud investigators or inspectors who are appointed as peace officers pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 830.35 on or after January 1, 2001, shall attend and complete a specialized investigators basic course approved by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training within one year of being hired as a welfare investigator or inspector. Any welfare fraud investigator or inspector appointed prior to January 1, 2001, shall not be required to attend and complete the training required by this section, provided that he or she has been continuously employed in that capacity prior to January 1, 2001, by the county that made the appointment.

(b) Any investigator or inspector who possesses a valid basic peace officer certificate as awarded by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training or who has successfully completed the regular basic course certified by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training basic course within three years prior to appointment shall be exempt from the training requirements of subdivision (a).

history: (History: Added by Stats. 2000, Ch. 633, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2001.)

title: 3. ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS REGARDING CRIMINAL PROCEDURE


text:
(a) Notwithstanding subdivision (a) of Section 13510.1, peace officers described in Section 830.83 shall be subject to the applicable requirements of, the certification program for peace officers described in Section 13510.1.

(b) (1) Every peace officer described in Section 830.83 shall obtain the basic certificate issued by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training upon completion of a 12-month probationary period, but in no case later than 24 months after their employment, in order to continue to exercise the powers of a peace officer after the expiration of the 24-month period.

(2) If the probationary period established by the employing agency is 24 months, a peace officer described in this subdivision may continue to exercise the powers of a peace officer for an additional 3-month period to allow for the processing of the certification application.

(c) Each police chief, or any other person in charge of a qualified entity, as defined in Section 11073, as a condition of continued authority as a peace officer, shall obtain the basic certificate issued by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training within two years of appointment.

(d) Subdivisions (b) and (c) shall not apply to a police officer, public safety officer, or investigator described in Section 830.83 who currently possesses a valid and active basic certificate.

(e) This section shall become operative only upon an appropriation of funds by the Legislature for the purposes of this section.

(f) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2032, and as of that date is repealed.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 2025, Ch. 10, Sec. 3. (AB 134) Effective June 27, 2025. Conditionally operative as prescribed by its own provisions. Repealed as of January 1, 2032, by its own provisions.)


citation: PEN § 833

text: A peace officer may search for dangerous weapons any person whom he has legal cause to arrest, whenever he has reasonable cause to believe that the person possesses a dangerous weapon. If the officer finds a dangerous weapon, he may take and keep it until the completion of the questioning, when he shall either return it or arrest the person. The arrest may be for the illegal possession of the weapon.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 1957, Ch. 2147.)

chapter: 5. Arrest, by Whom and How Made

path: 3. ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS REGARDING CRIMINAL PROCEDURE > 5. Arrest, by Whom and How Made


text:
(a) It is the intent of the Legislature to encourage law enforcement and county child welfare agencies to develop protocols in collaboration with other local entities, which may include local educational, judicial, correctional, and community-based organizations, when appropriate, regarding how to best cooperate in their response to the arrest of a caretaker parent or guardian of a minor child, to ensure the child’s safety and well-being.

(b) The Legislature encourages the Department of Justice to apply to the federal government for a statewide training grant on behalf of California law enforcement agencies, with the purpose of enabling local jurisdictions to provide training for their law enforcement officers to assist them in developing protocols and adequately addressing issues related to child safety when a caretaker parent or guardian is arrested.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 2006, Ch. 729, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2007.)


text:
(a) In addition to any other detention permitted by law, if a peace officer has reasonable cause to believe that a person has a firearm or other deadly weapon with him or her in violation of any provision of law relating to firearms or deadly weapons the peace officer may detain that person to determine whether a crime relating to firearms or deadly weapons has been committed.

For purposes of this section, “reasonable cause to detain” requires that the circumstances known or apparent to the officer must include specific and articulable facts causing him or her to suspect that some offense relating to firearms or deadly weapons has taken place or is occurring or is about to occur and that the person he or she intends to detain is involved in that offense. The circumstances must be such as would cause any reasonable peace officer in like position, drawing when appropriate on his or her training and experience, to suspect the same offense and the same involvement by the person in question.

(b) Incident to any detention permitted pursuant to subdivision (a), a peace officer may conduct a limited search of the person for firearms or weapons if the peace officer reasonably concludes that the person detained may be armed and presently dangerous to the peace officer or others. Any firearm or weapon seized pursuant to a valid detention or search pursuant to this section shall be admissible in evidence in any proceeding for any purpose permitted by law.

(c) This section shall not be construed to otherwise limit the authority of a peace officer to detain any person or to make an arrest based on reasonable cause.

(d) This section shall not be construed to permit a peace officer to conduct a detention or search of any person at the person’s residence or place of business absent a search warrant or other reasonable cause to detain or search.

(e) If a firearm or weapon is seized pursuant to this section and the person from whom it was seized owned the firearm or weapon and is convicted of a violation of any offense relating to the possession of such firearm or weapon, the court shall order the firearm or weapon to be deemed a nuisance and disposed of in the manner provided by Sections 18000 and 18005.

history: (History: Amended (as amended by Stats. 2010, Ch. 178, Sec. 68) by Stats. 2011, Ch. 296, Sec. 213. (AB 1023) Effective January 1, 2012.)


citation: PEN § 834

text: An arrest is taking a person into custody, in a case and in the manner authorized by law. An arrest may be made by a peace officer or by a private person.

history: (History: Enacted 1872.)


citation: PEN § 834a

text: If a person has knowledge, or by the exercise of reasonable care, should have knowledge, that he is being arrested by a peace officer, it is the duty of such person to refrain from using force or any weapon to resist such arrest.


citation: PEN § 834c

text:
(a) (1) In accordance with federal law and the provisions of this section, every peace officer, upon arrest and booking or detention for more than two hours of a known or suspected foreign national, shall advise the foreign national that he or she has a right to communicate with an official from the consulate of his or her country, except as provided in subdivision (d). If the foreign national chooses to exercise that right, the peace officer shall notify the pertinent official in his or her agency or department of the arrest or detention and that the foreign national wants his or her consulate notified.

(2) The law enforcement official who receives the notification request pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be guided by his or her agency’s procedures in conjunction with the Department of State Guidelines Regarding Foreign Nationals Arrested or Detained in the United States, and make the appropriate notifications to the consular officers at the consulate of the arrestee.

(3) The law enforcement official in charge of the custodial facility where an arrestee subject to this subdivision is located shall ensure that the arrestee is allowed to communicate with, correspond with, and be visited by, a consular officer of his or her country.

(b) The 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations Treaty was signed by 140 nations, including the United States, which ratified the agreement in 1969. This treaty guarantees that individuals arrested or detained in a foreign country must be told by police “without delay” that they have a right to speak to an official from their country’s consulate and if an individual chooses to exercise that right a law enforcement official is required to notify the consulate.

(c) California law enforcement agencies shall ensure that policy or procedure and training manuals incorporate language based upon provisions of the treaty that set forth requirements for handling the arrest and booking or detention for more than two hours of a foreign national pursuant to this section prior to December 31, 2000.

(d) Countries requiring mandatory notification under Article 36 of the Vienna Convention shall be notified as set forth in this section without regard to an arrested or detained foreign national’s request to the contrary. Those countries, as identified by the United States Department of State on July 1, 1999, are as follows:

(1) Antigua and Barbuda.

(2) Armenia.

(3) Azerbaijan.

(4) The Bahamas.

(5) Barbados.

(6) Belarus.

(7) Belize.

(8) Brunei.

(9) Bulgaria.

(10) China.

(11) Costa Rica.

(12) Cyprus.

(13) Czech Republic.

(14) Dominica.

(15) Fiji.

(16) The Gambia.

(17) Georgia.

(18) Ghana.

(19) Grenada.

(20) Guyana.

(21) Hong Kong.

(22) Hungary.

(23) Jamaica.

(24) Kazakhstan.

(25) Kiribati.

(26) Kuwait.

(27) Kyrgyzstan.

(28) Malaysia.

(29) Malta.

(30) Mauritius.

(31) Moldova.

(32) Mongolia.

(33) Nigeria.

(34) Philippines.

(35) Poland (nonpermanent residents only).

(36) Romania.

(37) Russia.

(38) Saint Kitts and Nevis.

(39) Saint Lucia.

(40) Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

(41) Seychelles.

(42) Sierra Leone.

(43) Singapore.

(44) Slovakia.

(45) Tajikistan.

(46) Tanzania.

(47) Tonga.

(48) Trinidad and Tobago.

(49) Turkmenistan.

(50) Tuvalu.

(51) Ukraine.

(52) United Kingdom.

(53) U.S.S.R.

(54) Uzbekistan.

(55) Zambia.

(56) Zimbabwe.

However, any countries requiring notification that the above list does not identify because the notification requirement became effective after July 1, 1999, shall also be required to be notified.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 1999, Ch. 268, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2000.)


citation: PEN § 835

text: An arrest is made by an actual restraint of the person, or by submission to the custody of an officer. The person arrested may be subjected to such restraint as is reasonable for his arrest and detention.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 1957, Ch. 2147.)


citation: PEN § 835a

text:
(a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(1) That the authority to use physical force, conferred on peace officers by this section, is a serious responsibility that shall be exercised judiciously and with respect for human rights and dignity and for the sanctity of every human life. The Legislature further finds and declares that every person has a right to be free from excessive use of force by officers acting under color of law.

(2) As set forth below, it is the intent of the Legislature that peace officers use deadly force only when necessary in defense of human life. In determining whether deadly force is necessary, officers shall evaluate each situation in light of the particular circumstances of each case, and shall use other available resources and techniques if reasonably safe and feasible to an objectively reasonable officer.

(3) That the decision by a peace officer to use force shall be evaluated carefully and thoroughly, in a manner that reflects the gravity of that authority and the serious consequences of the use of force by peace officers, in order to ensure that officers use force consistent with law and agency policies.

(4) That the decision by a peace officer to use force shall be evaluated from the perspective of a reasonable officer in the same situation, based on the totality of the circumstances known to or perceived by the officer at the time, rather than with the benefit of hindsight, and that the totality of the circumstances shall account for occasions when officers may be forced to make quick judgments about using force.

(5) That individuals with physical, mental health, developmental, or intellectual disabilities are significantly more likely to experience greater levels of physical force during police interactions, as their disability may affect their ability to understand or comply with commands from peace officers. It is estimated that individuals with disabilities are involved in between one-third and one-half of all fatal encounters with law enforcement.

(b) Any peace officer who has reasonable cause to believe that the person to be arrested has committed a public offense may use objectively reasonable force to effect the arrest, to prevent escape, or to overcome resistance.

(c) (1) Notwithstanding subdivision (b), a peace officer is justified in using deadly force upon another person only when the officer reasonably believes, based on the totality of the circumstances, that such force is necessary for either of the following reasons:

(A) To defend against an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury to the officer or to another person.

(B) To apprehend a fleeing person for any felony that threatened or resulted in death or serious bodily injury, if the officer reasonably believes that the person will cause death or serious bodily injury to another unless immediately apprehended. Where feasible, a peace officer shall, prior to the use of force, make reasonable efforts to identify themselves as a peace officer and to warn that deadly force may be used, unless the officer has objectively reasonable grounds to believe the person is aware of those facts.

(2) A peace officer shall not use deadly force against a person based on the danger that person poses to themselves, if an objectively reasonable officer would believe the person does not pose an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury to the peace officer or to another person.

(d) A peace officer who makes or attempts to make an arrest need not retreat or desist from their efforts by reason of the resistance or threatened resistance of the person being arrested. A peace officer shall not be deemed an aggressor or lose the right to self-defense by the use of objectively reasonable force in compliance with subdivisions (b) and (c) to effect the arrest or to prevent escape or to overcome resistance. For the purposes of this subdivision, “retreat” does not mean tactical repositioning or other de-escalation tactics.

(e) For purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply:

(1) “Deadly force” means any use of force that creates a substantial risk of causing death or serious bodily injury, including, but not limited to, the discharge of a firearm.

(2) A threat of death or serious bodily injury is “imminent” when, based on the totality of the circumstances, a reasonable officer in the same situation would believe that a person has the present ability, opportunity, and apparent intent to immediately cause death or serious bodily injury to the peace officer or another person. An imminent harm is not merely a fear of future harm, no matter how great the fear and no matter how great the likelihood of the harm, but is one that, from appearances, must be instantly confronted and addressed.

(3) “Totality of the circumstances” means all facts known to the peace officer at the time, including the conduct of the officer and the subject leading up to the use of deadly force.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 241, Sec. 24. (SB 857) Effective January 1, 2026.)


citation: PEN § 836

text:
(a) A peace officer may arrest a person in obedience to a warrant, or, pursuant to the authority granted by Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 830) of Title 3 of Part 2, without a warrant, may arrest a person whenever any of the following circumstances occur:

(1) The officer has probable cause to believe that the person to be arrested has committed a public offense in the officer’s presence.

(2) The person arrested has committed a felony, although not in the officer’s presence.

(3) The officer has probable cause to believe that the person to be arrested has committed a felony, whether or not a felony, in fact, has been committed.

(b) Any time a peace officer is called out on a domestic violence call, it shall be mandatory that the officer make a good faith effort to inform the victim of their right to make a citizen’s arrest, unless the peace officer makes an arrest for a violation of paragraph (1) of subdivision (e) of Section 243 or of Section 273.5. This information shall include advising the victim how to safely execute the arrest.

(c) (1) When a peace officer is responding to a call alleging a violation of a domestic violence protective or restraining order issued under Section 527.6 of the Code of Civil Procedure, the Family Code, Section 136.2, 646.91, or paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 1203.097 of this code, Section 213.5 or 15657.03 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, or of a domestic violence protective or restraining order issued by the court of another state, tribe, or territory and the peace officer has probable cause to believe that the person against whom the order is issued has notice of the order and has committed an act in violation of the order, the officer shall, consistent with subdivision (b) of Section 13701, make a lawful arrest of the person without a warrant and take that person into custody whether or not the violation occurred in the presence of the arresting officer. The officer shall, as soon as possible after the arrest, confirm with the appropriate authorities or the Domestic Violence Protection Order Registry maintained pursuant to Section 6380 of the Family Code that a true copy of the protective order has been registered, unless the victim provides the officer with a copy of the protective order.

(2) The person against whom a protective order has been issued shall be deemed to have notice of the order if the victim presents to the officer proof of service of the order, the officer confirms with the appropriate authorities that a true copy of the proof of service is on file, or the person against whom the protective order was issued was present at the protective order hearing or was informed by a peace officer of the contents of the protective order.

(3) In situations where mutual protective orders have been issued under Division 10 (commencing with Section 6200) of the Family Code, liability for arrest under this subdivision applies only to those persons who are reasonably believed to have been the dominant aggressor. In those situations, prior to making an arrest under this subdivision, the peace officer shall make reasonable efforts to identify, and may arrest, the dominant aggressor involved in the incident. The dominant aggressor is the person determined to be the most significant, rather than the first, aggressor. In identifying the dominant aggressor, an officer shall consider (A) the intent of the law to protect victims of domestic violence from continuing abuse, (B) the threats creating fear of physical injury, (C) the history of domestic violence between the persons involved, and (D) whether either person involved acted in self-defense.

(d) Notwithstanding paragraph (1) of subdivision (a), if a suspect commits an assault or battery upon a current or former spouse, fiancé, fiancée, a current or former cohabitant as defined in Section 6209 of the Family Code, a person with whom the suspect currently is having or has previously had an engagement or dating relationship, as defined in paragraph (10) of subdivision (f) of Section 243, a person with whom the suspect has parented a child, or is presumed to have parented a child pursuant to the Uniform Parentage Act (Part 3 (commencing with Section 7600) of Division 12 of the Family Code), a child of the suspect, a child whose parentage by the suspect is the subject of an action under the Uniform Parentage Act, a child of a person in one of the above categories, any other person related to the suspect by consanguinity or affinity within the second degree, or any person who is 65 years of age or older and who is related to the suspect by blood or legal guardianship, a peace officer may arrest the suspect without a warrant where both of the following circumstances apply:

(1) The peace officer has probable cause to believe that the person to be arrested has committed the assault or battery, whether or not it has in fact been committed.

(2) The peace officer makes the arrest as soon as probable cause arises to believe that the person to be arrested has committed the assault or battery, whether or not it has in fact been committed.

(e) In addition to the authority to make an arrest without a warrant pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (3) of subdivision (a), a peace officer may, without a warrant, arrest a person for a violation of Section 25400 when all of the following apply:

(1) The officer has reasonable cause to believe that the person to be arrested has committed the violation of Section 25400.

(2) The violation of Section 25400 occurred within an airport, as defined in Section 21013 of the Public Utilities Code, in an area to which access is controlled by the inspection of persons and property.

(3) The peace officer makes the arrest as soon as reasonable cause arises to believe that the person to be arrested has committed the violation of Section 25400.

(f) In addition to the authority to make an arrest without a warrant pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (3) of subdivision (a), a peace officer may, without a warrant, arrest a person for a violation of Section 459.5 when the violation was not committed in the officer’s presence if all of the following conditions are met:

(1) The officer has probable cause to believe the person committed the violation.

(2) The arrest is made without undue delay after the violation.

(3) Any of the following takes place:

(A) The officer obtains a sworn statement from a person who witnessed the person to be arrested committing the alleged violation.

(B) The officer observes video footage that shows the person to be arrested committing the alleged violation.

(C) The person to be arrested possesses a quantity of goods inconsistent with personal use and the goods bear security devices affixed by a retailer that would customarily be removed upon purchase.

(D) The person to be arrested confesses to the alleged violation to the arresting officer.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 168, Sec. 4. (AB 2943) Effective January 1, 2025.)


text:
When a person commits an assault or battery against the person of a firefighter, emergency medical technician, or mobile intensive care paramedic while that person is on duty engaged in the performance of his or her duties in violation of subdivision (b) of Section 241 or subdivision (b) of Section 243, a peace officer may, without a warrant, arrest the person who commits the assault or battery:

(a) Whenever the peace officer has reasonable cause to believe that the person to be arrested has committed the assault or battery, although the assault or battery was not committed in the peace officer’s presence.

(b) Whenever the peace officer has reasonable cause to believe that the person to be arrested has committed the assault or battery, whether or not the assault or battery has in fact been committed.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 1995, Ch. 52, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1996.)


text: A peace officer may make an arrest in obedience to a warrant delivered to him, or may, without a warrant, arrest a person who, while charged with or convicted of a misdemeanor, has escaped from any county or city jail, prison, industrial farm or industrial road camp or from the custody of the officer or person in charge of him while engaged on any county road or other county work or going to or returning from such county road or other county work or from the custody of any officer or person in whose lawful custody he is when such escape is not by force or violence.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 1955, Ch. 609.)


text:
(a) A public officer or employee, when authorized by ordinance, may arrest a person without a warrant whenever the officer or employee has reasonable cause to believe that the person to be arrested has committed a misdemeanor in the presence of the officer or employee that is a violation of a statute or ordinance that the officer or employee has the duty to enforce.

(b) There shall be no civil liability on the part of, and no cause of action shall arise against, any public officer or employee acting pursuant to subdivision (a) and within the scope of his or her authority for false arrest or false imprisonment arising out of any arrest that is lawful or that the public officer or employee, at the time of the arrest, had reasonable cause to believe was lawful. No officer or employee shall be deemed an aggressor or lose his or her right to self-defense by the use of reasonable force to effect the arrest, prevent escape, or overcome resistance.

(c) In any case in which a person is arrested pursuant to subdivision (a) and the person arrested does not demand to be taken before a magistrate, the public officer or employee making the arrest shall prepare a written notice to appear and release the person on his or her promise to appear, as prescribed by Chapter 5C (commencing with Section 853.5). The provisions of that chapter shall thereafter apply with reference to any proceeding based upon the issuance of a written notice to appear pursuant to this authority.

(d) The governing body of a local agency, by ordinance, may authorize its officers and employees who have the duty to enforce a statute or ordinance to arrest persons for violations of the statute or ordinance as provided in subdivision (a).

(e) For purposes of this section, “ordinance” includes an order, rule, or regulation of any air pollution control district.

(f) For purposes of this section, a “public officer or employee” includes an officer or employee of a nonprofit transit corporation wholly owned by a local agency and formed to carry out the purposes of the local agency.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 1997, Ch. 324, Sec. 3. Effective January 1, 1998.)


text:
(a) It is unlawful for any person who is remanded by a magistrate or judge of any court in this state to the custody of a sheriff, marshal, or other police agency, to thereafter escape or attempt to escape from that custody.

(b) It is unlawful for any person who has been lawfully arrested by any peace officer and who knows, or by the exercise of reasonable care should have known, that he or she has been so arrested, to thereafter escape or attempt to escape from that peace officer.

(c) Any person who violates subdivision (a) or (b) is guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment in a county jail not to exceed one year. However, if the escape or attempted escape is by force or violence, and the person proximately causes a peace officer serious bodily injury, the person shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for two, three, or four years, or by imprisonment in a county jail not to exceed one year.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 43, Sec. 26. (SB 1023) Effective June 27, 2012.)


citation: PEN § 837

text:
A private person may arrest another:

1. For a public offense committed or attempted in his presence.

2. When the person arrested has committed a felony, although not in his presence.

3. When a felony has been in fact committed, and he has reasonable cause for believing the person arrested to have committed it.


citation: PEN § 838

text: A magistrate may orally order a peace officer or private person to arrest any one committing or attempting to commit a public offense in the presence of such magistrate.


citation: PEN § 839

text: Any person making an arrest may orally summon as many persons as he deems necessary to aid him therein.


citation: PEN § 840

text:
An arrest for the commission of a felony may be made on any day and at any time of the day or night. An arrest for the commission of a misdemeanor or an infraction cannot be made between the hours of 10 o'clock p.m. of any day and 6 o'clock a.m. of the succeeding day, unless:

(1) The arrest is made without a warrant pursuant to Section 836 or 837.

(2) The arrest is made in a public place.

(3) The arrest is made when the person is in custody pursuant to another lawful arrest.

(4) The arrest is made pursuant to a warrant which, for good cause shown, directs that it may be served at any time of the day or night.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 1976, Ch. 436.)


citation: PEN § 841

text:
The person making the arrest must inform the person to be arrested of the intention to arrest him, of the cause of the arrest, and the authority to make it, except when the person making the arrest has reasonable cause to believe that the person to be arrested is actually engaged in the commission of or an attempt to commit an offense, or the person to be arrested is pursued immediately after its commission, or after an escape.

The person making the arrest must, on request of the person he is arresting, inform the latter of the offense for which he is being arrested.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 1961, Ch. 1863.)


text:
(a) Except as otherwise required by Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 1054) of Title 7, or by the United States Constitution or the California Constitution, no law enforcement officer or employee of a law enforcement agency shall disclose to any arrested person, or to any person who may be a defendant in a criminal action, the address or telephone number of any person who is a victim or witness in the alleged offense.

(b) Nothing in this section shall impair or interfere with the right of a defendant to obtain information necessary for the preparation of his or her defense through the discovery process.

(c) Nothing in this section shall impair or interfere with the right of an attorney to obtain the address or telephone number of any person who is a victim of, or a witness to, an alleged offense where a client of that attorney has been arrested for, or may be a defendant in, a criminal action related to the alleged offense.

(d) Nothing in this section shall preclude a law enforcement agency from releasing the entire contents of an accident report as required by Section 20012 of the Vehicle Code.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 1992, Ch. 3, Sec. 2. Effective February 10, 1992.)


citation: PEN § 842

text: An arrest by a peace officer acting under a warrant is lawful even though the officer does not have the warrant in his possession at the time of the arrest, but if the person arrested so requests it, the warrant shall be shown to him as soon as practicable.


citation: PEN § 843

text: When the arrest is being made by an officer under the authority of a warrant, after information of the intention to make the arrest, if the person to be arrested either flees or forcibly resists, the officer may use all necessary means to effect the arrest.


citation: PEN § 844

text: To make an arrest, a private person, if the offense is a felony, and in all cases a peace officer, may break open the door or window of the house in which the person to be arrested is, or in which they have reasonable grounds for believing the person to be, after having demanded admittance and explained the purpose for which admittance is desired.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 1989, Ch. 1360, Sec. 112.)


citation: PEN § 845

text: Any person who has lawfully entered a house for the purpose of making an arrest, may break open the door or window thereof if detained therein, when necessary for the purpose of liberating himself, and an officer may do the same, when necessary for the purpose of liberating a person who, acting in his aid, lawfully entered for the purpose of making an arrest, and is detained therein.


citation: PEN § 846

text: Any person making an arrest may take from the person arrested all offensive weapons which he may have about his person, and must deliver them to the magistrate before whom he is taken.


citation: PEN § 847

text:
(a) A private person who has arrested another for the commission of a public offense must, without unnecessary delay, take the person arrested before a magistrate, or deliver him or her to a peace officer.

(b) There shall be no civil liability on the part of, and no cause of action shall arise against, any peace officer or federal criminal investigator or law enforcement officer described in subdivision (a) or (d) of Section 830.8, acting within the scope of his or her authority, for false arrest or false imprisonment arising out of any arrest under any of the following circumstances:

(1) The arrest was lawful, or the peace officer, at the time of the arrest, had reasonable cause to believe the arrest was lawful.

(2) The arrest was made pursuant to a charge made, upon reasonable cause, of the commission of a felony by the person to be arrested.

(3) The arrest was made pursuant to the requirements of Section 142, 837, 838, or 839.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2003, Ch. 468, Sec. 13. Effective January 1, 2004.)


text:
(a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), if a person has been admitted to bail in another state, escapes bail, and is present in this state, the bail bondsman or other person who is bail for such fugitive, may file with a magistrate in the county where the fugitive is present an affidavit stating the name and whereabouts of the fugitive, the offense with which the alleged fugitive was charged or of which they were convicted, the time and place of same, and the particulars in which the fugitive has violated the terms of their bail, and may request the issuance of a warrant for arrest of the fugitive, and the issuance, after hearing, of an order authorizing the affiant to return the fugitive to the jurisdiction from which they escaped bail. The magistrate may require such additional evidence under oath as they deem necessary to decide the issue. If the magistrate concludes that there is probable cause for believing that the person alleged to be a fugitive is such, the magistrate may issue a warrant for the person’s arrest. The magistrate shall notify the district attorney of the action and shall direct the district attorney to investigate the case and determine the facts of the matter. When the fugitive is brought before the magistrate pursuant to the warrant, the magistrate shall set a time and place for hearing, and shall advise the fugitive of their right to counsel and to produce evidence at the hearing. The magistrate may admit the fugitive to bail pending the hearing. The district attorney shall appear at the hearing. If, after hearing, the magistrate is satisfied from the evidence that the person is a fugitive, the magistrate may issue an order authorizing affiant to return the fugitive to the jurisdiction from which they escaped bail.

(b) A magistrate shall not issue a warrant for the arrest of an individual whose alleged offense or conviction is for the violation of the laws of another state that authorize a criminal penalty to an individual performing, receiving, supporting, or aiding in the performance or receipt of sexual or reproductive health care, including, but not limited to, an abortion, contraception, or gender-affirming care if the sexual or reproductive health care is lawful under the laws of this state, regardless of the recipient’s location.

(c) A bondsman or person authorized, pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 1299.02, to apprehend, detain, or arrest a fugitive admitted to bail in another state who takes into custody a fugitive admitted to bail in another state whose alleged offense or conviction is for the violation of the laws of another state that authorize a criminal penalty to an individual performing, receiving, supporting, or aiding in the performance or receipt of an abortion, contraception, reproductive care, or gender-affirming care if the abortion, contraception, reproductive care, or gender-affirming care is lawful under the laws of this state, regardless of the recipient’s location, without a magistrate’s order, is ineligible for a license issued pursuant to Chapter 11.3 (commencing with Section 7512) of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code or Section 1800 of the Insurance Code, and shall forfeit any license already obtained pursuant to those laws.

(d) A person who is taken into custody by a bail agent in violation of subdivision (b) may institute and prosecute a civil action for injunctive, monetary, or other appropriate relief against the bondsman and bond company within three years after the cause of action accrues.

(e) A bondsman or other person who is bail for a fugitive admitted to bail in another state who takes the fugitive into custody, except pursuant to an order issued under this section, is guilty of an infraction punishable by a fine of five thousand dollars ($5,000).

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 260, Sec. 15. (SB 345) Effective January 1, 2024.)


citation: PEN § 848

text: An officer making an arrest, in obedience to a warrant, must proceed with the person arrested as commanded by the warrant, or as provided by law.


citation: PEN § 849

text:
(a) When an arrest is made without a warrant by a peace officer or private person, the person arrested, if not otherwise released, shall, without unnecessary delay, be taken before the nearest or most accessible magistrate in the county in which the offense is triable, and a complaint stating the charge against the arrested person shall be laid before the magistrate.

(b) A peace officer may release from custody, instead of taking the person before a magistrate, a person arrested without a warrant in the following circumstances:

(1) The officer is satisfied that there are insufficient grounds for making a criminal complaint against the person arrested.

(2) The person arrested was arrested for intoxication only, and no further proceedings are desirable.

(3) The person was arrested only for being under the influence of a controlled substance or drug and the person is delivered to a facility or hospital for treatment and no further proceedings are desirable.

(4) The person was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and the person is delivered to a hospital for medical treatment that prohibits immediate delivery before a magistrate.

(5) The person was arrested and subsequently delivered to a hospital or other urgent care facility, including, but not limited to, a facility for the treatment of co-occurring substance use disorders, for mental health evaluation and treatment, and no further proceedings are desirable.

(6) The person was arrested and subsequently delivered or referred to a public health or social service organization that provides services including, but not limited to, housing, medical care, treatment for alcohol or substance use disorders, psychological counseling, or employment training and education, the organization agrees to accept the delivery or referral, and no further proceedings are desirable.

(c) The record of arrest of a person released pursuant to paragraph (1), (3), (5), or (6) of subdivision (b) shall include a record of release. Thereafter, the arrest shall not be deemed an arrest, but a detention only.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 954, Sec. 1. (AB 2215) Effective January 1, 2025.)


text: In any case in which a person is arrested and released and no accusatory pleading is filed charging him with an offense, any record of arrest of the person shall include a record of release. Thereafter, the arrest shall not be deemed an arrest, but a detention only.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 1975, Ch. 1117.)


citation: PEN § 850

text:
(a) A telegraphic copy of a warrant or an abstract of a warrant may be sent by telegraph, teletype, or any other electronic devices, to one or more peace officers, and such copy or abstract is as effectual in the hands of any officer, and he shall proceed in the same manner under it, as though he held the original warrant issued by a magistrate or the issuing authority or agency.

(b) Except as otherwise provided in Section 1549.2 relating to Governor’s warrants of extradition, an abstract of the warrant as herein referred to shall contain the following information: the warrant number, the charge, the court or agency of issuance, the subject’s name, address and description, the bail, the name of the issuing magistrate or authority, and if the offense charged is a misdemeanor, whether the warrant has been certified for night service.

(c) When the subject of a written or telegraphic warrant or abstract of warrant is in custody on another charge, the custodial officer shall, immediately upon receipt of information as to the existence of any such warrant or abstract, obtain and deliver a written copy of the warrant or abstract to the subject and shall inform him of his rights under Section 1381, where applicable, to request a speedy trial and under Section 858.7 relating to Vehicle Code violations.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 1983, Ch. 793, Sec. 1.)


citation: PEN § 851

text: Every officer causing telegraphic copies or abstracts of warrants to be sent, must certify as correct, and file in the telegraphic office from which such copies are sent, a copy of the warrant, and must return the original with a statement of his action thereunder.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 1965, Ch. 1990.)


text:
(a) (1) Immediately upon being booked and, except where physically impossible, no later than three hours after arrest, an arrested person has the right to make at least three completed telephone calls, as described in subdivision (b).

(2) The arrested person shall be entitled to make at least three calls at no expense if the calls are completed to telephone numbers within the local calling area or at his or her own expense if outside the local calling area.

(b) At any police facility or place where an arrestee is detained, a sign containing the following information in bold block type shall be posted in a conspicuous place:

The arrestee has the right to free telephone calls within the local calling area, or at his or her own expense if outside the local calling area, to three of the following:

(1) An attorney of his or her choice or, if he or she has no funds, the public defender or other attorney assigned by the court to assist indigents, whose telephone number shall be posted. This telephone call shall not be monitored, eavesdropped upon, or recorded.

(2) A bail bondsman.

(3) A relative or other person.

(c) As soon as practicable upon being arrested but, except where physically impossible, no later than three hours after arrest, the arresting or booking officer shall inquire as to whether the arrested person is a custodial parent with responsibility for a minor child. The arresting or booking officer shall notify the arrested person who is a custodial parent with responsibility for a minor child that he or she is entitled to, and may request to, make two additional telephone calls at no expense if the telephone calls are completed to telephone numbers within the local calling area, or at his or her own expense if outside the local calling area, to a relative or other person for the purpose of arranging for the care of the minor child or children in the parent’s absence.

(d) At any police facility or place where an arrestee is detained, a sign containing the following information in bold block type shall be posted in a conspicuous place:

The arrestee, if he or she is a custodial parent with responsibility for a minor child, has the right to two additional telephone calls within the local dialing area, or at his or her own expense if outside the local area, for the purpose of arranging for the care of the minor child or children in the parent’s absence.

(e) These telephone calls shall be given immediately upon request, or as soon as practicable.

(f) The signs posted pursuant to subdivisions (b) and (d) shall make the specified notifications in English and any non-English language spoken by a substantial number of the public, as specified in Section 7296.2 of the Government Code, who are served by the police facility or place of detainment.

(g) The rights and duties set forth in this section shall be enforced regardless of the arrestee’s immigration status.

(h) This provision shall not abrogate a law enforcement officer’s duty to advise a suspect of his or her right to counsel or of any other right.

(i) Any public officer or employee who willfully deprives an arrested person of any right granted by this section is guilty of a misdemeanor.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 816, Sec. 1. (AB 2015) Effective January 1, 2013.)


text:
(a) In any case in which a person is arrested and released pursuant to paragraph (1), (3), or (5) of subdivision (b) of Section 849, the person shall be issued a certificate, signed by the releasing officer or his superior officer, describing the action as a detention.

(b) In any case in which a person is arrested and released and an accusatory pleading is not filed charging him or her with an offense, the person shall be issued a certificate by the law enforcement agency which arrested him or her describing the action as a detention.

(c) The Attorney General shall prescribe the form and content of the certificate.

(d) Any reference to the action as an arrest shall be deleted from the arrest records of the arresting agency and of the Department of Justice. Thereafter, any record of the action shall refer to it as a detention.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 566, Sec. 2. (SB 238) Effective October 7, 2017.)


text:
(a) Any person who has been cited or arrested for a misdemeanor or felony, with or without a warrant, while a minor, may, during or after minority, petition the court in which the proceedings occurred or, if there were no court proceedings, the court in whose jurisdiction the citation or arrest occurred, for an order sealing the records in the case, including any records of citation, arrest, and detention, if any of the following occurred:

(1) The person was released pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 849.

(2) Proceedings against the person were dismissed, or the person was discharged, without a conviction or adjudication.

(3) The person was acquitted.

(b) If the court finds that the petitioner is eligible for relief under subdivision (a), it shall issue its order granting the relief prayed for. Thereafter, the citation, arrest, detention, and any further proceedings in the case shall be deemed not to have occurred, and the petitioner may answer accordingly any question relating to their occurrence.

(c) This section applies to arrests and any further proceedings that occurred before, as well as those that occur after, the effective date of this section.

(d) This section does not apply to any person taken into custody pursuant to Section 625 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, or to any case within the scope of Section 781 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, unless, after a finding of unfitness for the juvenile court or otherwise, there were criminal proceedings in the case, not culminating in conviction. If there were criminal proceedings not culminating in conviction, this section shall be applicable to the criminal proceedings if the proceedings are otherwise within the scope of this section.

(e) This section does not apply to arrests for, and any further proceedings relating to, any of the following:

(1) Offenses for which registration is required under Section 290.

(2) Offenses under Division 10 (commencing with Section 11000) of the Health and Safety Code.

(3) Offenses under the Vehicle Code or any local ordinance relating to the operation, stopping, standing, or parking of a vehicle.

(f) In any action or proceeding based upon defamation, a court, upon a showing of good cause, may order any records sealed under this section to be opened and admitted in evidence. The records shall be confidential and shall be available for inspection only by the court, jury, parties, counsel for the parties, and any other person who is authorized by the court to inspect them. Upon the judgment in the action or proceeding becoming final, the court shall order the records sealed.

(g) (1) A record that has been sealed pursuant to this section may be accessed, inspected, or utilized by the prosecuting attorney in order to meet a statutory or constitutional obligation to disclose favorable or exculpatory evidence to a defendant in a criminal case in which the prosecuting attorney has reason to believe that access to the record is necessary to meet the disclosure obligation. A request to access information in the sealed record for this purpose, including the prosecutor’s rationale for believing that access to the information in the record may be necessary to meet the disclosure obligation and the date by which the records are needed, shall be submitted by the prosecuting attorney to the juvenile court. The juvenile court shall review the case file and records that have been referenced by the prosecutor as necessary to meet the disclosure obligation and any response submitted by the person having the sealed record. The court shall approve the prosecutor’s request to the extent that the court has, upon review of the relevant records, determined that access to a specific sealed record or portion of a sealed record is necessary to enable the prosecuting attorney to comply with the disclosure obligation. If the juvenile court approves the prosecuting attorney’s request, the court shall state on the record appropriate limits on the access, inspection, and utilization of the sealed record information in order to protect the confidentiality of the person whose sealed record is accessed pursuant to this subdivision. A ruling allowing disclosure of information pursuant to this subdivision does not affect whether the information is admissible in a criminal or juvenile proceeding. This subdivision does not impose any discovery obligations on a prosecuting attorney that do not already exist.

(2) This subdivision does not apply to juvenile case files pertaining to matters within the jurisdiction of the juvenile court pursuant to Section 300 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

(h) This section applies in any case in which a person was under 21 years of age at the time of the commission of an offense to which this section applies if that offense was committed prior to March 7, 1973.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 782, Sec. 1. (SB 1161) Effective January 1, 2025.)


text:
(a) In any case where a person has been arrested and no accusatory pleading has been filed, the person arrested may petition the law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the offense to destroy its records of the arrest. A copy of the petition shall be served upon the prosecuting attorney of the county or city having jurisdiction over the offense. The law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the offense, upon a determination that the person arrested is factually innocent, shall, with the concurrence of the prosecuting attorney, seal its arrest records, and the petition for relief under this section for three years from the date of the arrest and thereafter destroy its arrest records and the petition. The law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the offense shall notify the Department of Justice, and any law enforcement agency that arrested the petitioner or participated in the arrest of the petitioner for an offense for which the petitioner has been found factually innocent under this subdivision, of the sealing of the arrest records and the reason therefor. The Department of Justice and any law enforcement agency so notified shall forthwith seal their records of the arrest and the notice of sealing for three years from the date of the arrest, and thereafter destroy their records of the arrest and the notice of sealing. The law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the offense and the Department of Justice shall request the destruction of any records of the arrest which they have given to any local, state, or federal agency or to any other person or entity. Each agency, person, or entity within the State of California receiving the request shall destroy its records of the arrest and the request, unless otherwise provided in this section.

(b) If, after receipt by both the law enforcement agency and the prosecuting attorney of a petition for relief under subdivision (a), the law enforcement agency and prosecuting attorney do not respond to the petition by accepting or denying the petition within 60 days after the running of the relevant statute of limitations or within 60 days after receipt of the petition in cases where the statute of limitations has previously lapsed, then the petition shall be deemed to be denied. In any case where the petition of an arrestee to the law enforcement agency to have an arrest record destroyed is denied, petition may be made to the superior court that would have had territorial jurisdiction over the matter. A copy of the petition shall be served on the law enforcement agency and the prosecuting attorney of the county or city having jurisdiction over the offense at least 10 days prior to the hearing thereon. The prosecuting attorney and the law enforcement agency through the district attorney may present evidence to the court at the hearing. Notwithstanding Section 1538.5 or 1539, any judicial determination of factual innocence made pursuant to this section may be heard and determined upon declarations, affidavits, police reports, or any other evidence submitted by the parties which is material, relevant, and reliable. A finding of factual innocence and an order for the sealing and destruction of records pursuant to this section shall not be made unless the court finds that no reasonable cause exists to believe that the arrestee committed the offense for which the arrest was made. In any court hearing to determine the factual innocence of a party, the initial burden of proof shall rest with the petitioner to show that no reasonable cause exists to believe that the arrestee committed the offense for which the arrest was made. If the court finds that this showing of no reasonable cause has been made by the petitioner, then the burden of proof shall shift to the respondent to show that a reasonable cause exists to believe that the petitioner committed the offense for which the arrest was made. If the court finds the arrestee to be factually innocent of the charges for which the arrest was made, then the court shall order the law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the offense, the Department of Justice, and any law enforcement agency which arrested the petitioner or participated in the arrest of the petitioner for an offense for which the petitioner has been found factually innocent under this section to seal their records of the arrest and the court order to seal and destroy the records, for three years from the date of the arrest and thereafter to destroy their records of the arrest and the court order to seal and destroy those records. The court shall also order the law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the offense and the Department of Justice to request the destruction of any records of the arrest which they have given to any local, state, or federal agency, person or entity. Each state or local agency, person or entity within the State of California receiving such a request shall destroy its records of the arrest and the request to destroy the records, unless otherwise provided in this section. The court shall give to the petitioner a copy of any court order concerning the destruction of the arrest records.

(c) In any case where a person has been arrested, and an accusatory pleading has been filed, but where no conviction has occurred, the defendant may, at any time after dismissal of the action, petition the court that dismissed the action for a finding that the defendant is factually innocent of the charges for which the arrest was made. A copy of the petition shall be served on the prosecuting attorney of the county or city in which the accusatory pleading was filed at least 10 days prior to the hearing on the petitioner’s factual innocence. The prosecuting attorney may present evidence to the court at the hearing. The hearing shall be conducted as provided in subdivision (b). If the court finds the petitioner to be factually innocent of the charges for which the arrest was made, then the court shall grant the relief as provided in subdivision (b).

(d) In any case where a person has been arrested and an accusatory pleading has been filed, but where no conviction has occurred, the court may, with the concurrence of the prosecuting attorney, grant the relief provided in subdivision (b) at the time of the dismissal of the accusatory pleading.

(e) Whenever any person is acquitted of a charge and it appears to the judge presiding at the trial at which the acquittal occurred that the defendant was factually innocent of the charge, the judge may grant the relief provided in subdivision (b).

(f) In any case where a person who has been arrested is granted relief pursuant to subdivision (a) or (b), the law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the offense or court shall issue a written declaration to the arrestee stating that it is the determination of the law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the offense or court that the arrestee is factually innocent of the charges for which the person was arrested and that the arrestee is thereby exonerated. Thereafter, the arrest shall be deemed not to have occurred and the person may answer accordingly any question relating to its occurrence.

(g) The Department of Justice shall furnish forms to be utilized by persons applying for the destruction of their arrest records and for the written declaration that one person was found factually innocent under subdivisions (a) and (b).

(h) Documentation of arrest records destroyed pursuant to subdivision (a), (b), (c), (d), or (e) that are contained in investigative police reports shall bear the notation “Exonerated” whenever reference is made to the arrestee. The arrestee shall be notified in writing by the law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the offense of the sealing and destruction of the arrest records pursuant to this section.

(i) (1) Any finding that an arrestee is factually innocent pursuant to subdivision (a), (b), (c), (d), or (e) shall not be admissible as evidence in any action.

(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a finding that an arrestee is factually innocent pursuant to subdivisions (a) to (e), inclusive, shall be admissible as evidence at a hearing before the California Victim Compensation Board.

(j) Destruction of records of arrest pursuant to subdivision (a), (b), (c), (d), or (e) shall be accomplished by permanent obliteration of all entries or notations upon the records pertaining to the arrest, and the record shall be prepared again so that it appears that the arrest never occurred. However, where (1) the only entries on the record pertain to the arrest and (2) the record can be destroyed without necessarily affecting the destruction of other records, then the document constituting the record shall be physically destroyed.

(k) No records shall be destroyed pursuant to subdivision (a), (b), (c), (d), or (e) if the arrestee or a codefendant has filed a civil action against the peace officers or law enforcement jurisdiction which made the arrest or instituted the prosecution and if the agency which is the custodian of the records has received a certified copy of the complaint in the civil action, until the civil action has been resolved. Any records sealed pursuant to this section by the court in the civil actions, upon a showing of good cause, may be opened and submitted into evidence. The records shall be confidential and shall be available for inspection only by the court, jury, parties, counsel for the parties, and any other person authorized by the court. Immediately following the final resolution of the civil action, records subject to subdivision (a), (b), (c), (d), or (e) shall be sealed and destroyed pursuant to subdivision (a), (b), (c), (d), or (e).

(l) For arrests occurring on or after January 1, 1981, and for accusatory pleadings filed on or after January 1, 1981, petitions for relief under this section may be filed up to two years from the date of the arrest or filing of the accusatory pleading, whichever is later. Until January 1, 1983, petitioners can file for relief under this section for arrests which occurred or accusatory pleadings which were filed up to five years prior to the effective date of the statute. Any time restrictions on filing for relief under this section may be waived upon a showing of good cause by the petitioner and in the absence of prejudice.

(m) Any relief which is available to a petitioner under this section for an arrest shall also be available for an arrest which has been deemed to be or described as a detention under Section 849.5 or 851.6.

(n) This section shall not apply to any offense which is classified as an infraction.

(o) (1) This section shall be repealed on the effective date of a final judgment based on a claim under the California or United States Constitution holding that evidence that is relevant, reliable, and material may not be considered for purposes of a judicial determination of factual innocence under this section. For purposes of this subdivision, a judgment by the appellate division of a superior court is a final judgment if it is published and if it is not reviewed on appeal by a court of appeal. A judgment of a court of appeal is a final judgment if it is published and if it is not reviewed by the California Supreme Court.

(2) Any decision referred to in this subdivision shall be stayed pending appeal.

(3) If not otherwise appealed by a party to the action, any decision referred to in this subdivision which is a judgment by the appellate division of the superior court shall be appealed by the Attorney General.

(p) A judgment of the court under subdivision (b), (c), (d), or (e) is subject to the following appeal path:

(1) In a felony case, appeal is to the court of appeal.

(2) In a misdemeanor case, or in a case in which no accusatory pleading was filed, appeal is to the appellate division of the superior court.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2016, Ch. 31, Sec. 235. (SB 836) Effective June 27, 2016. Repealed conditionally as provided in subd. (o).)


text: Whenever a person is acquitted of a charge and it appears to the judge presiding at the trial wherein such acquittal occurred that the defendant was factually innocent of the charge, the judge may order that the records in the case be sealed, including any record of arrest or detention, upon the written or oral motion of any party in the case or the court, and with notice to all parties to the case. If such an order is made, the court shall give to the defendant a copy of such order and inform the defendant that he may thereafter state that he was not arrested for such charge and that he was found innocent of such charge by the court.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 1980, Ch. 1172, Sec. 3. Effective September 29, 1980. Conditionally operative, upon repeal of Section 851.8, by Sec. 4 of Ch. 1172.)


text: Whenever a person is convicted of a charge, and the conviction is set aside based upon a determination that the person was factually innocent of the charge, the judge shall order that the records in the case be sealed, including any record of arrest or detention, upon written or oral motion of any party in the case or the court, and with notice to all parties to the case. If such an order is made, the court shall give the defendant a copy of that order and inform the defendant that he or she may thereafter state he or she was not arrested for that charge and that he or she was not convicted of that charge, and that he or she was found innocent of that charge by the court. The court shall also inform the defendant of the availability of indemnity for persons erroneously convicted pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 4900) of Title 6 of Part 3, and the time limitations for presenting those claims.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 2009, Ch. 432, Sec. 4. (AB 316) Effective January 1, 2010.)


text:
(a) (1) In any case where a person is arrested and successfully completes a prefiling diversion program administered by a prosecuting attorney in lieu of filing an accusatory pleading, the person may petition the superior court that would have had jurisdiction over the matter to issue an order to seal the records pertaining to an arrest and the court may order those records sealed as described in Section 851.92. A copy of the petition shall be served on the law enforcement agency and the prosecuting attorney of the county or city having jurisdiction over the offense, who may request a hearing within 60 days of receipt of the petition. The court may hear the matter no less than 60 days from the date the law enforcement agency and the prosecuting attorney receive a copy of the petition. The prosecuting attorney and the law enforcement agency, through the prosecuting attorney, may present evidence to the court at the hearing.

(2) If the order is made, the court shall give a copy of the order to the person and inform the person that he or she may thereafter state that he or she was not arrested for the charge.

(3) The person may, except as specified in subdivisions (b) and (c), indicate in response to any question concerning the person’s prior criminal record that the person was not arrested.

(4) Subject to subdivisions (b) and (c), a record pertaining to the arrest shall not, without the person’s permission, be used in any way that could result in the denial of any employment, benefit, or certificate.

(b) The person shall be advised that, regardless of the person’s successful completion of the program, the arrest shall be disclosed by the Department of Justice in response to any peace officer application request, and that, notwithstanding subdivision (a), this section does not relieve the person of the obligation to disclose the arrest in response to any direct question contained in any questionnaire or application for a position as a peace officer, as defined in Section 830.

(c) The person shall be advised that an order to seal records pertaining to an arrest made pursuant to this section has no effect on a criminal justice agency’s ability to access and use those sealed records and information regarding sealed arrests, as described in Section 851.92.

(d) As used in this section, “prefiling diversion” is a diversion from prosecution that is offered to a person by the prosecuting attorney in lieu of, or prior to, the filing of an accusatory pleading in court as set forth in Section 950.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 680, Sec. 1. (SB 393) Effective January 1, 2018.)


text:
(a) (1) Whenever a person is diverted pursuant to a drug diversion program administered by a superior court pursuant to Section 1000.5 or is admitted to a deferred entry of judgment program pursuant to Section 1000 or 1000.8, and the person successfully completes the program, the judge may order those records pertaining to the arrest to be sealed as described in Section 851.92, upon the written or oral motion of any party in the case, or upon the court’s own motion, and with notice to all parties in the case.

(2) If the order is made, the court shall give a copy of the order to the defendant and inform the defendant that he or she may thereafter state that he or she was not arrested for the charge.

(3) The defendant may, except as specified in subdivisions (b) and (c), indicate in response to any question concerning the defendant’s prior criminal record that the defendant was not arrested or granted statutorily authorized drug diversion or deferred entry of judgment for the offense.

(4) Subject to subdivisions (b) and (c), a record pertaining to an arrest resulting in the successful completion of a statutorily authorized drug diversion or deferred entry of judgment program shall not, without the defendant’s permission, be used in any way that could result in the denial of any employment, benefit, or certificate.

(b) The defendant shall be advised that, regardless of the defendant’s successful completion of a statutorily authorized drug diversion or deferred entry of judgment program, the arrest upon which the case was based shall be disclosed by the Department of Justice in response to any peace officer application request, and that, notwithstanding subdivision (a), this section does not relieve the defendant of the obligation to disclose the arrest in response to any direct question contained in any questionnaire or application for a position as a peace officer, as defined in Section 830.

(c) The defendant shall be advised that, regardless of the defendant’s successful completion of a statutorily authorized drug diversion or deferred entry of judgment program, an order to seal records pertaining to an arrest made pursuant to this section has no effect on a criminal justice agency’s ability to access and use those sealed records and information regarding sealed arrests, as described in Section 851.92.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 680, Sec. 2. (SB 393) Effective January 1, 2018.)


text:
(a) A person who has suffered an arrest that did not result in a conviction may petition the court to have his or her arrest and related records sealed, as described in Section 851.92.

(1) For purposes of this section, an arrest did not result in a conviction if any of the following are true:

(A) The statute of limitations has run on every offense upon which the arrest was based and the prosecuting attorney of the city or county that would have had jurisdiction over the offense or offenses upon which the arrest was based has not filed an accusatory pleading based on the arrest.

(B) The prosecuting attorney filed an accusatory pleading based on the arrest, but, with respect to all charges, one or more of the following has occurred:

(i) No conviction occurred, the charge has been dismissed, and the charge may not be refiled.

(ii) No conviction occurred and the arrestee has been acquitted of the charges.

(iii) A conviction occurred, but has been vacated or reversed on appeal, all appellate remedies have been exhausted, and the charge may not be refiled.

(2) A person is not eligible for relief under this section in any of the following circumstances:

(A) He or she may still be charged with any of the offenses upon which the arrest was based.

(B) Any of the arrest charges, as specified by the law enforcement agency that conducted the arrest, or any of the charges in the accusatory pleading based on the arrest, if filed, is a charge of murder or any other offense for which there is no statute of limitations, except when the person has been acquitted or found factually innocent of the charge.

(C) The petitioner intentionally evaded law enforcement efforts to prosecute the arrest, including by absconding from the jurisdiction in which the arrest occurred. The existence of bench warrants or failures to appear that were adjudicated before the case closed with no conviction does not establish intentional evasion.

(D) The petitioner intentionally evaded law enforcement efforts to prosecute the arrest by engaging in identity fraud and was subsequently charged with a crime for that act of identity fraud.

(b) (1) A petition to seal an arrest shall:

(A) Be verified.

(B) Be filed in the court in which the accusatory pleading based on the arrest was filed or, if no accusatory pleading was filed, in a court with criminal jurisdiction in the city or county in which the arrest occurred.

(C) Be filed at least 15 days prior to the hearing on the petition.

(D) Be served, by copy, upon the prosecuting attorney of the city or county in which the arrest occurred and upon the law enforcement agency that made the arrest at least 15 days prior to the hearing on the petition.

(E) Include all of the following information:

(i) The petitioner’s name and date of birth.

(ii) The date of the arrest for which sealing is sought.

(iii) The city and county where the arrest took place.

(iv) The law enforcement agency that made the arrest.

(v) Any other information identifying the arrest that is available from the law enforcement agency that conducted the arrest or from the court in which the accusatory pleading, if any, based on the arrest was filed, including, but not limited to, the case number for the police investigative report documenting the arrest, and the court number under which the arrest was reviewed by the prosecuting attorney or under which the prosecuting attorney filed an accusatory pleading.

(vi) The offenses upon which the arrest was based or, if an accusatory pleading was filed based on the arrest, the charges in the accusatory pleading.

(vii) A statement that the petitioner is entitled to have his or her arrest sealed as a matter of right or, if the petitioner is requesting to have his or her arrest sealed in the interests of justice, how the interests of justice would be served by granting the petition, accompanied by declarations made directly and verified by the petitioner, his or her supporting declarants, or both.

(2) The court may deny a petition for failing to meet any of the requirements described in paragraph (1).

(3) (A) The Judicial Council shall furnish forms to be utilized by a person applying to have his or her arrest sealed pursuant to this section. The petition form shall include all of the information required to be included in the petition by paragraph (1) of subdivision (b), shall be available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Korean, and shall include a statement that the petition form is available in additional languages and the Internet Web site where the form is available in alternative languages. The forms shall include notice of other means to address arrest records, including a determination of factual innocence under Section 851.8 and deeming an arrest a detention under Section 849.5.

(B) (i) A facility at which an arrestee is detained shall, at the request of an arrestee upon release, provide the forms furnished by Judicial Council pursuant to subparagraph (A) to the arrestee.

(ii) A facility at which an arrestee is detained shall post a sign containing the following information: “A person who has been arrested but not convicted may petition the court to have his or her arrest and related records sealed. The petition form is available on the Internet or upon request in this facility.”

(c) A petition to seal an arrest record pursuant to this section may be granted as a matter of right or in the interests of justice.

(1) A petitioner who is eligible for relief under subdivision (a) is entitled to have his or her arrest sealed as a matter of right unless he or she is subject to paragraph (2).

(2) (A) (i) A petitioner may have his or her arrest sealed only upon a showing that the sealing would serve the interests of justice if any of the offenses upon which the arrest was based, as specified by the law enforcement agency that made the arrest, or, if an accusatory pleading was filed, any of the charges in the accusatory pleading, was one of the following:

(I) Domestic violence, if the petitioner’s record demonstrates a pattern of domestic violence arrests, convictions, or both.

(II) Child abuse, if the petitioner’s record demonstrates a pattern of child abuse arrests, convictions, or both.

(III) Elder abuse, if the petitioner’s record demonstrates a pattern of elder abuse arrests, convictions, or both.

(ii) For purposes of this subparagraph, “pattern” means two or more convictions, or five or more arrests, for separate offenses occurring on separate occasions within three years from at least one of the other convictions or arrests.

(B) In determining whether the interests of justice would be served by sealing an arrest record pursuant to this section, the court may consider any relevant factors, including, but not limited to, any of the following:

(i) Hardship to the petitioner caused by the arrest that is the subject of the petition.

(ii) Declarations or evidence regarding the petitioner’s good character.

(iii) Declarations or evidence regarding the arrest.

(iv) The petitioner’s record of convictions.

(d) (1) At a hearing on a petition under this section, the petitioner, the prosecuting attorney, and, through the prosecuting attorney, the arresting agency may present evidence to the court. Notwithstanding Section 1538.5 or 1539, the hearing may be heard and determined upon declarations, affidavits, police investigative reports, copies of state summary criminal history information and local summary criminal history information, or any other evidence submitted by the parties that is material, relevant, and reliable.

(2) The petitioner has the initial burden of proof to show that he or she is entitled to have his or her arrest sealed as a matter of right or that sealing would serve the interests of justice. If the court finds that petitioner has satisfied his or her burden of proof, then the burden of proof shall shift to the respondent prosecuting attorney.

(e) If the court grants a petition pursuant to this section, the court shall do all of the following:

(1) Furnish a disposition report to the Department of Justice, pursuant to Section 13151, stating that relief was granted under this section.

(2) (A) Issue a written ruling and order to the petitioner, the prosecuting attorney, and to the law enforcement agency that made the arrest that states all of the following:

(B) The record of arrest has been sealed as to petitioner, the arrest is deemed not to have occurred, the petitioner may answer any question relating to the sealed arrest accordingly, and the petitioner is released from all penalties and disabilities resulting from the arrest, except as provided in Section 851.92 and as follows:

(i) The sealed arrest may be pleaded and proved in any subsequent prosecution of the petitioner for any other offense, and shall have the same effect as if it had not been sealed.

(ii) The sealing of an arrest pursuant to this section does not relieve the petitioner of the obligation to disclose the arrest, if otherwise required by law, in response to any direct question contained in a questionnaire or application for public office, for employment as a peace officer, for licensure by any state or local agency, or for contracting with the California State Lottery Commission.

(iii) The sealing of an arrest pursuant to this section does not affect petitioner’s authorization to own, possess, or have in his or her custody or control any firearm, or his or her susceptibility to conviction under Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 29800) of Division 9 of Title 4 of Part 6, if the arrest would otherwise affect this authorization or susceptibility.

(iv) The sealing of an arrest pursuant to this section does not affect any prohibition from holding public office that would otherwise apply under law as a result of the arrest.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 653, Sec. 1. (AB 2599) Effective January 1, 2019.)


text:
(a) This section applies when an arrest record is sealed pursuant to Sections 851.87, 851.90, 851.91, 1000.4, and 1001.9.

(b) When the court issues an order to seal an arrest, the sealing shall be accomplished as follows:

(1) The court shall provide copies of the order and a report on the disposition of the arrest, as follows:

(A) Upon issuing the order, the court shall provide a copy to the person whose arrest was sealed and to the prosecuting attorney.

(B) Within 30 days of issuing the order, the court shall forward a copy of the order to the law enforcement agency that made the arrest, to any other law enforcement agency that participated in the arrest, and to the law enforcement agency that administers the master local summary criminal history information that contains the arrest record for the sealed arrest.

(C) Within 30 days of issuing the order, the court shall furnish a disposition report to the Department of Justice indicating that relief has been ordered and providing the section of the Penal Code under which that relief was granted and the date that relief was granted.

(D) A sealing order made pursuant to this subdivision shall not be forwarded to the Department of Justice to be included or notated in the department’s manual or electronic fingerprint image or criminal history record systems. Any sealing order made pursuant to this subdivision and received by the Department of Justice shall not be processed by the department.

(2) The arrest record shall be updated, as follows:

(A) The local summary criminal history information shall include, directly next to or below the entry or entries regarding the sealed arrest, a note stating “arrest sealed” and providing the date that the court issued the order, and the section pursuant to which the arrest was sealed. This note shall be included in all master copies of the arrest record, digital or otherwise.

(B) The state summary criminal history information shall include, directly next to or below the entry or entries regarding the sealed arrest, a note stating “arrest relief granted,” providing the date that the court issued the order and the section of the Penal Code pursuant to which the relief was granted. This note shall be included in all master copies of the arrest record, digital or otherwise.

(3) A police investigative report related to the sealed arrest shall, only as to the person whose arrest was sealed, be stamped “ARREST SEALED: DO NOT RELEASE OUTSIDE THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SECTOR,” and shall note next to the stamp the date the arrest was sealed and the section pursuant to which the arrest was sealed. The responsible local law enforcement agency shall ensure that this note is included in all master copies, digital or otherwise, of the police investigative report related to the arrest that was sealed.

(4) Court records related to the sealed arrest shall, only as to the person whose arrest was sealed, be stamped “ARREST SEALED: DO NOT RELEASE OUTSIDE OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SECTOR,” and shall note next to the stamp the date of the sealing and the section pursuant to which the arrest was sealed. This stamp and note shall be included on all master court dockets, digital or otherwise, relating to the arrest.

(5) Arrest records, police investigative reports, and court records that are sealed under this section shall not be disclosed to any person or entity except the person whose arrest was sealed or a criminal justice agency. Nothing shall prohibit disclosure of information between criminal history providers.

(6) Notwithstanding the sealing of an arrest, a criminal justice agency may continue, in the regular course of its duties, to access, furnish to other criminal justice agencies, and use, including, but not limited to, by discussing in open court and in unsealed court filings, sealed arrests, sealed arrest records, sealed police investigative reports, sealed court records, and information relating to sealed arrests, to the same extent that would have been permitted for a criminal justice agency if the arrest had not been sealed.

(c) Unless specifically authorized by this section, a person or entity, other than a criminal justice agency or the person whose arrest was sealed, who disseminates information relating to a sealed arrest is subject to a civil penalty of not less than five hundred dollars ($500) and not more than two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) per violation. The civil penalty may be enforced by a city attorney, district attorney, or the Attorney General. This subdivision does not limit any existing private right of action. A civil penalty imposed under this section shall be cumulative to civil remedies or penalties imposed under any other law.

(d) As used in this section and Sections 851.87, 851.90, 851.91, 1000.4, and 1001.9, all of the following terms have the following meanings:

(1) “Arrest record” and “record pertaining to an arrest” mean information about the arrest or detention that is contained in either of the following:

(A) The master, or a copy of the master, local summary criminal history information, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 13300.

(B) The master, or a copy of the master, state summary criminal history information as defined in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 11105.

(2) “Court records” means records, files, and materials created, compiled, or maintained by or for the court in relation to court proceedings, and includes, but is not limited to, indexes, registers of actions, court minutes, court orders, court filings, court exhibits, court progress and status reports, court history summaries, copies of state summary criminal history information and local summary criminal history information, and any other criminal history information contained in any of those materials.

(3) “Criminal history provider” means a person or entity that is not a criminal justice agency and that provides background screening services or criminal history information on identified individuals to the public or to those outside the criminal justice sector upon request, charge, or pursuant to a contractual agreement or that aggregates into databases that are open to the public or to those outside the criminal justice sector upon request or charge, or pursuant to a contractual agreement, that are not created or maintained by a criminal justice agency, criminal history information on identified individuals. For the purposes of this paragraph, a criminal history provider includes an investigative consumer reporting agency, as defined in Section 1786.2 of the Civil Code, a consumer credit reporting agency, as defined in Section 1785.3 of the Civil Code, and a consumer reporting agency, as defined in Section 603(f) of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. 1681a(f)).

(4) “Criminal justice agency” means an agency at any level of government that performs, as its principal function, activities relating to the apprehension, prosecution, defense, adjudication, incarceration, or correction of criminal suspects and criminal offenders. A criminal justice agency includes, but is not limited to, any of the following:

(A) A court of this state.

(B) A peace officer, as defined in Section 830.1, subdivisions (a) and (e) of Section 830.2, subdivision (a) of Section 830.3, subdivision (a) of Section 830.31, and subdivisions (a) and (b) of Section 830.5.

(C) A district attorney.

(D) A prosecuting city attorney.

(E) A city attorney pursuing civil gang injunctions pursuant to Section 186.22a, drug abatement actions pursuant to Section 3479 or 3480 of the Civil Code or Section 11571 of the Health and Safety Code, or a city attorney or county counsel pursuing gun violence restraining orders pursuant to Division 3.2 (commencing with Section 18100) of Title 2 of Part 6.

(F) A probation officer.

(G) A parole officer.

(H) A public defender or an attorney representing a person, or a person representing themselves, in a criminal proceeding, a proceeding to revoke parole, mandatory supervision, or postrelease community supervision, or in a proceeding described in Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 4852.01) of Title 6 of Part 3.

(I) An expert, investigator, or other specialist contracted by a prosecuting attorney or defense attorney to accomplish the purpose of the prosecution, defense, or representation in the criminal proceeding.

(J) A correctional officer.

(5) “Police investigative report” means intelligence, analytical, and investigative reports and files created, compiled, and maintained by a law enforcement criminal justice agency and relating to a potential crime, violation of the law, arrest, detention, prosecution, or law enforcement investigation.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 539, Sec. 1. (AB 2917) Effective January 1, 2025.)