The purpose of this page is to review for you the basic steps of criminal procedure for felonies. Keep in mind that the steps listed below apply in California; other jurisdictions may do things differently. Also, in those jurisdictions in California in which the municipal court is eliminated (including Stanislaus County, as of August 1998), the second arraignment is skipped. In some individual cases these steps may vary somewhat.

1. Arrest
2. Booking
3. Complaint filed
4. Arraignment (municipal court)
5. Preliminary hearing (or grand jury proceeding)
6. Information filed (or indictment)
7. Arraignment #2 (superior court); plea entered
8. Pretrial motions (and, possibly, interlocutory appeals)
9. Trial

a. voir dire (choosing a jury)
b. jurors sworn in (jeopardy attaches)
c. state's opening statement
d. defense opening statement (or it may take place before defense case in chief)
e. state's case in chief
f. defense case in chief
g. rebuttals
h. defense closing arguments
i. state's closing arguments
j. jury instructions
k. deliberations
l. verdict
m. jury excused (except in capital cases)

2 January 2001
copyright 1998 Phyllis B. Gerstenfeld