Walk It Through: The Arrest and the First Night
An arrest without a warrant, a call to family, forty eight hours, and a hearing on release.
An officer arrests a man outside a bar on suspicion of assault.
Two things a person in this spot might do. Picking one shows what the law says about it.
An arrest for a misdemeanor with no warrant. A felony charge, a detention hearing over flight or danger, and the trial itself are left to their own pages.
A practice walkthrough, not a prediction of how any real one will go. Legal information, not legal advice.
Words this turns on
Terms with a legal meaning that is narrower than the everyday one. Each links to the definition and the authority behind it.
- Petty misdemeanorThe lowest grade of crime, punishable by up to 30 days in jail.
- Probable causeFacts and circumstances, within an officer's knowledge or from reasonably trustworthy information, enough for a person of reasonable caution to believe a crime has been or is being committed.
- ViolationAn offense punishable only by a fine, forfeiture or other civil penalty. A violation does not constitute a crime.