Someone you love is in a county jail, or you are — and the questions are coming fast. When is the arraignment? Can they hold you this long? Is this a felony or a misdemeanor? Will the bail be impossible? You do not have to sit in the dark guessing. Call 1-844-690-0555 right now, free, any hour of the night, and our AI legal assistant — trained on the California Penal Code and federal law — will walk you through exactly what happens next, in plain English or Spanish. No web form, no income test, no waiting for business hours.
Free legal information. Not legal advice. Available 24/7 across California.
Do two things right now. First: say nothing to police beyond identifying yourself — you have the right to stay silent and the right to a lawyer, and California Penal Code § 825 entitles an arrestee to see an attorney on request. Second: count the clock. You must be brought before a magistrate for arraignment within 48 hours of arrest, excluding Sundays and holidays — so a Wednesday-night arrest can legally stretch to Friday. That arraignment is when bail gets argued, so getting information before it happens is everything. Call 1-844-690-0555 free, 24/7, and we'll explain your specific timeline.
Most 'Humphrey hearing' pages you'll find online are now out of date. On April 30, 2026, in In re Kowalczyk, the California Supreme Court went further than the 2021 Humphrey rule: it held that a court cannot set cash bail at an amount you objectively cannot afford based solely on your indigency, and can deny bail only in the narrow categories the state Constitution allows. That's powerful — but it isn't automatic. The argument has to be made, and the place it's made is your arraignment, which by law happens within 48 hours of arrest. If nobody raises your inability to pay, a schedule-based bail can quietly stand. Don't sit on it. Call 1-844-690-0555 free, any hour, and we'll explain how the new bail rule applies to your situation.
If you can't afford a private lawyer, California has a real safety net — appointed counsel and free or low-cost help. These are independent organizations, not Legal Hotline, but they're the right doors to know. For anything urgent or confusing, the fastest first step is still a free call to 1-844-690-0555.
How long can California hold me before I see a judge?
Under Penal Code § 825 you must be brought before a magistrate for arraignment within 48 hours of arrest, excluding Sundays and holidays — so a Wednesday-evening arrest can legally stretch into Friday. Blowing that clock can mean suppressed statements or release. To understand your specific timeline, call 1-844-690-0555 free, any hour.
Is my charge a felony or a misdemeanor in California?
Penal Code § 17 draws the line, but many California offenses are 'wobblers' that the DA can charge either way — and § 17(b) lets the court later reduce a wobbler felony to a misdemeanor. The difference decides whether jail is capped at 364 days or you face prison. Call 1-844-690-0555 free and we'll explain which category your charge falls into.
Bail was set really high — can I challenge it after In re Kowalczyk?
Yes. Since In re Kowalczyk (April 2026), a California court can't set cash bail at an amount you objectively can't afford based solely on your inability to pay, and can deny bail only in narrow constitutional categories. But the argument has to be raised, usually at your arraignment. Call 1-844-690-0555 free, 24/7, to understand how the new rule applies to you.
What is Three Strikes and could it apply to me?
Under Penal Code §§ 667 and 1170.12, a prior 'serious' (§ 1192.7(c)) or 'violent' (§ 667.5(c)) felony counts as a strike: a second strike doubles your sentence on a new felony and a third can mean 25 years to life. An old conviction you'd forgotten can change everything. Call 1-844-690-0555 free to talk through your priors.
How do I get a public defender in California?
Under Penal Code §§ 987 and 987.2 the court must appoint the county Public Defender first for defendants who can't afford a lawyer; conflict cases go to an alternate defender or appointed panel. You typically request appointment at your arraignment. To understand the process and what to say, call 1-844-690-0555 free, any time.
My teenager was arrested — what happens in juvenile court?
Under Welfare & Institutions Code § 602, minors under 18 go to the Superior Court's Juvenile Delinquency Division — closed, no jury, a judge decides — and a detained minor's detention hearing must generally be held promptly, within the deadlines set by the Welfare & Institutions Code. For certain felonies, a § 707 transfer hearing can move a 16- or 17-year-old (or, for listed offenses, a 14- or 15-year-old in limited circumstances) to adult court. Call 1-844-690-0555 free to understand your child's situation.
Can I get my California criminal record expunged or sealed?
Often, yes. Penal Code § 1203.4 allows a post-probation dismissal ('expungement'), and SB 731's 'Clean Slate' system has the California DOJ automatically seal qualifying records — after 1 conviction-free year for misdemeanors, 4 years for most felonies — with no petition required, though serious/violent and sex offenses are excluded. To learn whether your case qualifies, call 1-844-690-0555 free.
Is it too late to charge me — what's the statute of limitations?
It depends on the offense: most misdemeanors must be charged within 1 year (§ 802), most felonies within 3 years (§ 801), and offenses punishable by 8 or more years within 6 years (§ 800) — with no time limit for murder and a few other offenses. A stale prosecution can sometimes be barred. Call 1-844-690-0555 free to check the clock on your case.
I'm not a US citizen — will a conviction affect my immigration status?
It can — and that's a federal question, decided under federal immigration law by USCIS and the immigration courts (EOIR), not by the state court handling your criminal case. That's exactly why California caps misdemeanors at 364 days (to avoid triggering certain federal consequences) and why a § 17(b) reduction can matter so much for non-citizens. Criminal and immigration consequences interact closely. Call 1-844-690-0555 free, in Spanish or another language, to understand the stakes before you plead.
Does this hotline give legal advice or get me a lawyer?
We give clear legal information — not legal advice — and the call creates no attorney-client relationship. Legal Hotline is not a law firm and not a public defender. But the AI assistant is trained on California and federal law, and if you want one we can help you book a paid consultation with a California-licensed criminal defense attorney. Start with a free call to 1-844-690-0555.
Are you a California-licensed criminal defense attorney? We connect frightened, urgent callers across Los Angeles, San Diego, the Bay Area, Sacramento, Fresno and the Inland Empire with vetted local counsel — at the moment they're ready to retain. If you'd like to receive matched client referrals for arraignments, bail, felony, juvenile and record-relief matters, join our attorney network and we'll route consultations your way.
General legal information, not legal advice. We research every page from primary sources — legislation, the courts, and government legal-aid bodies — and check it for accuracy. Spotted something out of date? Tell us at admin@platfirm.ai.
An arrest doesn't keep office hours, and neither do we. Whether the arraignment is hours away, the bail looks impossible, or you just need to know whether this is a felony or a misdemeanor, you can get clear answers right now — free, in your language, with no web form and no income test. Call 1-844-690-0555 to talk through your California criminal case with an AI assistant trained on California and federal law, and find out your options before the next hearing. It's free legal information, available 24/7.
Free legal information. Not legal advice.