After arraignment, if the felony charge is not dropped and you do not plead guilty or no-contest, prior to a trial you will face a preliminary hearing. Additionally, there will be another court appearance before trial to try to end the case with 1) a guilty or no-contest plea or 2) dismissal of charges.

Preliminary Hearings

The preliminary hearing usually occurs within 10 court days of the arraignment. During the preliminary hearing, the district attorney must present evidence showing a reasonable suspicion that a felony was committed and that you did it. The judge will determine whether there is sufficient evidence for a trial. If the charges are not dismissed after the preliminary hearing, a jury trial date will be set.

Any time you’re arrested on criminal charges, Cal-Defender can advise you of your rights. Just because you’re in police custody doesn’t mean your rights have suddenly disappeared. They’re still there, working for you. However, in the trauma of an arrest, you may not fully understand what those rights mean. That’s why you need an attorney from the very day of your arrest.

Make sure one of your phone calls to Cal-Defender. We can assist you in answering the questions the police undoubtedly have for you. You want to make sure you don’t say anything incriminating that could be used against you later. Will listen to your version of the events leading to your arrest and formulate a plan of action to make sure the law works in your favor to the fullest extent possible.

Types of Felonies

• Murder
• Aggravated assault or battery
• Manslaughter (unintentional killing of another)
• Animal cruelty
• Vehicular homicide
• Larceny
• Arson
• Burglary
• Tax evasion
• Various forms of fraud
• Computer Crime Fraud and Abuse (computer hacking)
• Grand larceny or grand theft
• Vandalism on federal property
• Treason
• Rape/sexual assault
• Kidnapping
• Obstruction of justice
• Perjury
• Check fraud
• Copyright infringement[2]
• Child pornography
• Mail and wire fraud
• Forgery
• Threatening an official (police officer, judge)
• Extortion
• Blackmail
• Manufacture, sale, distribution, or possession with intent to distribute of certain types or quantities of illegal drugs
• Possession (possession without intent to distribute, e.g., for personal use) of certain types of illegal drugs

Any time you’re arrested on criminal charges Cal-Defender can advise you of your rights. Just because you’re in police custody doesn’t mean your rights have suddenly disappeared. They’re still there, working for you. However, in the trauma of a Felony arrest, you may not fully understand what those rights mean. That’s why you need an attorney from the very day of your arrest.

There is still time…

Even if your arrest was some time ago, and you’re out on bail, you have a criminal trial looming in the Riverside County, Orange County, or Los Angeles County court. You’ll need an attorney to put together a comprehensive legal defense on your behalf, so that your best interests are represented before the judge. Cal-Defender is devoted to protecting the rights of the accused and providing them with superior defenses.