California Penal Code 976 – (a) When the accusatory pleading is filed, the defendant shall …
(a) When the accusatory pleading is filed, the defendant shall be arraigned thereon before the court in which it is filed, unless the action is transferred to some other court for trial. However, within any county, if the defendant is in custody, upon the approval of both the presiding judge of the court in which the accusatory pleading is filed and the presiding judge of the court nearest to the place in which he or she is held in custody the arraignment may be before the court nearest to that place of custody.
(b) A defendant arrested in another county shall have the right to be taken before a magistrate in the arresting county for the purpose of being admitted to bail, as provided in Section 821 or 822. The defendant shall be informed of this right.
Terms Used In California Penal Code 976
- Arraignment: A proceeding in which an individual who is accused of committing a crime is brought into court, told of the charges, and asked to plead guilty or not guilty.
- Bail: Security given for the release of a criminal defendant or witness from legal custody (usually in the form of money) to secure his/her appearance on the day and time appointed.
- county: includes "city and county". See California Penal Code 7
- Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
- magistrate: signifies any one of the officers mentioned in Section 808. See California Penal Code 7
- Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
(c) Prior to being taken from the place where he or she is in custody to the place where he or she is to be arraigned, the defendent shall be allowed to make three completed telephone calls, at no expense to the defendant, in addition to any other telephone calls which the defendant is entitled to make pursuant to law.
(Amended by Stats. 1982, Ch. 395, Sec. 1.)