What happens when someone is charged with a misdemeanor in Redondo Beach?
A misdemeanor is defined as a crime that is punishable by fine and/or imprisonment in a County jail for one year or less. As in most criminal cases, a misdemeanor prosecution starts with an arrest. However, unlike of a felony arrest, most persons charged with misdemeanors are detained only for a short time before they are released by police after promising to appear at their next court date by signing a citation that is known as a “promise to appear.” The police reports alleging illegal acts are then presented to the District Attorney or to a City Prosecutor who decides what charges, if any, should be filed. For Los Angeles Police Department arrests, if the District Attorney determines that a felony filing is not appropriate, the charges may be referred to the Los Angeles City Attorney, who prosecutes misdemeanors within the City of Los Angeles. On the other hand, the Los Angeles Police Department may take a case allegedly involving a misdemeanor directly to the City Attorney for possi
