Legal Question in Criminal Law in California

Three weeks ago, I was driving without a license when an officer pulled up behind me and flashed his lights. I did not stop. I followed every traffic law (I never even found out why he tried to pull me over to begin with), and I eluded police - they gave up when I crossed county lines. Of course, they ran the plates and my cousin's name and address came up. They went and woke her up, she said she didn't know who had the truck, and they said they'd keep coming back until they found her truck and/or the person driving it. They said if whoever was driving the truck cooperated with police, that they would get in minimal trouble, and they left her a card. When I caught up with her an hour later, she gave me the card, I gave her the truck back, and I called the cop. He showed up where I was at, with 2 other cops, about 10 minutes later. I told him it was me, and that I had a bad day already, and didn't want her truck impounded on top of everything else, and that I dunno what I was thinking - it's the craziest thing I've ever done. They laughed at me, and consoled me - said I didn't really break any traffic laws during the chase. They said they weren't taking me in, but that they were going to figure out what to charge me with, that it would be nothing more than misdemeanors, that the report would be in my favor, and that I would receive a citation in the mail "in a few days," and they handed me nothing before they left. It's now been 3 weeks, and my anxiety is through the roof. I'm supposed to be transferring into an out-of-state school this fall, and would really like to know when I'm going to be able to plan my life. How long does it usually take??


Asked on 3/26/12, 11:01 pm

2 Answer from Attorneys
Elena Condes LAW OFFFICE OF ELENA CONDES

Go on ahead and plan your life. Depending on the County it could take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months. Make sure your mail is forwarded to you so you get the notice if charges are filed. If you're not in the area and it is a misedemeanor or infraction, you can have your attorney appear for you in court. There are only a limited number of misdemeanors that require the defendant's appearance in court at the arraignment. If you want to play it safe, hire an attorney to monitor the situation until it gets charged or not charged. Good luck.

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Answered on 3/27/12, 6:41 am


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