Statute · California Constitution
Cal. Const. art. I, § 14 — DECLARATION OF RIGHTS
Cal. Const. art. I, § 14
- Type
- Statute
- Source
- California Constitution
- Jurisdiction
- California
- Current through
- Nov 2, 2026 (California Legislative Counsel)
Felonies shall be prosecuted as provided by law, either by indictment or, after examination and commitment by a magistrate, by information.
Citator
Cal. Const. art. I, § 14 — DECLARATION OF RIGHTS is in force in the current edition of the Code, and nothing recorded condemns it.
Felonies shall be prosecuted as provided by law, either by indictment or, after examination and commitment by a magistrate, by information.
A person charged with a felony by complaint subscribed under penalty of perjury and on file in a court in the county where the felony is triable shall be taken without unnecessary delay before a magistrate of that court. The magistrate shall immediately give the defendant a copy of the complaint, inform the defendant of the defendant’s right to counsel, allow the defendant a reasonable time to send for counsel, and on the defendant’s request read the complaint to the defendant. On the defendant’s request the magistrate shall require a peace officer to transmit within the county where the court is located a message to counsel named by defendant.
A person unable to understand English who is charged with a crime has a right to an interpreter throughout the proceedings.