In addition to reading the article below, visit the Cafe Law Bookstore where information on all states and related and other topics is available. We looked into many different books and manuals to make available the most recent books, reasonably priced, with the information you need. This article is intended to be a roadmap of the criminal justice process. The purpose of this article is to inform the lay person about the justice system and will only give a broad overview of the process from arrest to trial. Arrest An arrest is the seizure of the person, by law enforcement after the commission of a crime.
Arrest is the most common procedure for acquiring a criminal charge.
The receipt of a notice to appear is the functional equivalent of an arrest for purposes of being prosecuted. A notice to appear is a ticket or a summons by which you can be brought to court. An arrest can take place by means of physical force, handcuffing and restraint of movement, or by the submission to police authority. The legality of an arrest can be contested in court. To legally fight an arrest you must attack the grounds upon which the arrest was founded.