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It’s natural to want your Los Angeles criminal case to resolve itself quickly. Nobody wants to be caught up with the justice system for very long.

Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to tell how long a case will take. Nevertheless, there are some laws, guidelines, and rules of thumb we can share.

Misdemeanor Cases

Many misdemeanor cases have a 90-day rule. That means that the courts themselves want to see them dealt with in that period of time. You also have the right, according to the California Penal Code, to have your trial within 30 to 45 days of your arraignment. The arraignment generally occurs 48 hours after your arrest if you’ve been held and 10 days after your arrest if you’ve been released. 

Courts are congested, though, which means getting a trial in 90 days is pretty rare. In general, this will mean that the DA is going to want to put together a plea bargain in these cases.

A plea bargain isn’t always the best move for you, though. In your case, waiting longer for your trial might be the right move, especially if you’ve been granted pretrial release. 

Felony Cases

A felony case can take anywhere from 2 months to three years. About 75% close within one year. 

A lot depends on the evidence that needs to be gathered. You have the right to go to trial 60 days after your arraignment, but that doesn’t mean that’s going to be the best idea in your case. Both attorneys may ask  for the trial date to be postponed simply so they can wait for evidence. For example, DNA test results can take longer than anyone might like. If your case is a little more simple, a speedy trial may well be desirable. 

If you’re not able to obtain pretrial release in these cases, you might be sitting in custody until the case is dealt with. This isn’t ideal, as you’re serving time before you’re convicted, and it’s even less ideal if you’re innocent. Knowing you’ll be credited for the time served isn’t much of a comfort if you have visions of being acquitted.

Sometimes the DA will offer a plea deal that will amount to seeing you released, because the sentence will be the time a defendant has already served. Some defendants take that deal whether they’re innocent or not, simply because they’re ready to get the whole thing over with. 

There’s usually quite a bit of life to rebuild after that: the job is gone, your housing might be gone, and your family might be gone. It’s one of the major issues with the criminal justice system. Unfortunately, there’s not always a good way around it, and it’s why having a good lawyer by your side while you’re trying to obtain pretrial release can be so important. 

Get Help Today 

While we can’t promise you a fast case, we can promise a thorough defense. We will do everything in our power to help your criminal case come to its best possible resolution.

If you or a loved one are in trouble, don’t delay. Get help from our team today.

See also:

Do You Really Need a Los Angeles Criminal Lawyer if You’re Innocent? 

Your Rights During a Los Angeles Traffic Stop 

How Pretrial Diversion Works in Los Angeles, CA