Charge Code Lookup

How to read a charge code

A charge code is a citation: a number that points to a section of a state law book, often with an abbreviation for the book. In California, for example, “245(a)(1) PC” means Penal Code section 245, subdivision (a), paragraph (1), and “11377 HS” means Health and Safety Code section 11377. Other states write the book first (“TX PC 22.01”, “ARS 13-1203”, “O.C.G.A. 16-5-21”) or use one numbered code for everything, like the Florida Statutes.

The section’s own text says what the offense is. Its grade, misdemeanor or felony, and the punishment are sometimes in the same section and sometimes in a separate penalty section the text points to. The lookup opens the official text for 35 jurisdictions that publish a page per section, and the official code index for the rest.

A code on a booking record is the arresting agency’s charge. The prosecutor decides what is filed in court, and it can be different.

Charge codes we explain in plain English

For the codes people look up most, we wrote explainers from the official text:

• 11350 HS Explained: Possession of Narcotics in California
• 11351 HS Explained: Possession for Sale of Narcotics
• 11364 HS Explained: California Drug Paraphernalia Law
• 11377 HS Explained: Possessing a Controlled Substance
• 11378 HS Explained: Possession for Sale (Meth and Others)
• 11550 HS Explained: Under the Influence of Drugs in CA
• PC 148 Explained: Resisting or Obstructing an Officer
• PC 211 Explained: California Robbery Law
• 242 PC Explained: California Battery Law
• 245 PC Explained: California Assault With a Deadly Weapon
• PC 273.5 Explained: California Corporal Injury Law
• 273a PC Explained: California Child Abuse and Endangerment
• 273d PC Explained: Cruel Corporal Punishment of a Child
• 288 PC Explained: California Lewd Acts With a Child Law
• 415 PC Explained: California Disturbing the Peace Law
• 417 PC Explained: Brandishing a Weapon in California
• 422 PC Explained: California Criminal Threats Law
• PC 459 Explained: California Burglary Law
• PC 487 Explained: California Grand Theft Law
• 530.5(a) Penal Code Explained: California Identity Theft
• PC 594 Explained: California Vandalism Law
• California Penal Code 602 Explained: Trespassing Law
• 646.9 PC Explained: California Stalking Law
• 647(f) PC Explained: Public Intoxication in California
• California Vehicle Code 22350: Basic Speed Law Explained
• VC 23103 Explained: California Reckless Driving Law
• VC 23152 Explained: California DUI Law

Criminal code books by state

The main books where each state defines crimes and traffic offenses, with the abbreviations seen on booking and charging records. Each name links to the official code site. For a specific code, use the lookup above.

How soon an arrested person sees a judge

After booking, the next step is a first appearance before a judge or magistrate, where the charges are read, a lawyer can be appointed and release or bail is decided. Every state requires this to happen promptly; 44 jurisdictions in our data state the rule in a statute or court rule we read, often as a number of hours with weekends or holidays treated specially.

• Alabama: A person arrested on a warrant issued on a complaint who cannot meet the release conditions must be taken before a judge without undue delay and no later than 72 hours after arrest. (Ala. R. Crim. P. 4.3(b)(2)(i))
• Alaska: A person arrested must be taken before a judge or magistrate without unnecessary delay and within 24 hours, absent compelling circumstances, including Sundays and holidays. (AS 12.25.150(a))
• Arkansas: An arrested person who is not released by citation or in another lawful way must be taken before a judicial officer without unnecessary delay. (Ark. R. Crim. P. 8.1)
• California: The defendant must be taken before a magistrate without unnecessary delay and within 48 hours after arrest, excluding Sundays and holidays. (Pen. Code § 825(a)(1))
• Colorado: An in-custody arrestee must be brought before a court for bond setting as soon as practicable and no later than 48 hours after arriving at the jail or holding facility. (C.R.S. § 16-4-102(2)(a)(I))
• Connecticut: An arrested person who is not released sooner must be promptly presented before the Superior Court sitting next for the area where the offense allegedly happened. (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-1g(a))
• Delaware: An arresting officer must take the arrested person without unreasonable delay before the nearest available committing magistrate. (Del. Super. Ct. Crim. R. 5(a))
• District of Columbia: An officer making an arrest must take the arrested person to court without unnecessary delay. (D.C. Super. Ct. R. Crim. P. 5(a)(1))
• Florida: Unless already lawfully released, every arrested person must be taken before a judge within 24 hours of arrest. (Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.130(a))
• Hawaii: It is unlawful to fail, within 48 hours of an arrest on suspicion of a crime, to either release the arrested person or charge the person with a crime and take the person before a magistrate. (HRS § 803-9(5))
• Idaho: After a warrantless arrest, the person must be taken without unnecessary delay before the nearest or most accessible magistrate in the county. (Idaho Code § 19-615)
• Illinois: A person arrested for an offense for which release may be denied must be taken without unnecessary delay before the nearest and most accessible judge in the county. (725 ILCS 5/109-1(a))
• Iowa: After a warrantless arrest, the person must be taken without unnecessary delay before the nearest or most accessible magistrate in the judicial district. (Iowa Code § 804.22(1))
• Kansas: A person arrested in the county of the alleged crime must be taken without unnecessary delay before a magistrate. (K.S.A. 22-2901(1))
• Louisiana: An arrested person in custody must be brought before a judge promptly, and within 72 hours, to appoint counsel; Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays are not counted. (La. C.Cr.P. art. 230.1(A))
• Maine: An arrested defendant who is not released sooner must be brought before the court without unnecessary delay and within 48 hours, excluding weekends and holidays. (M.R.U. Crim. P. 5(a))
• Maryland: A defendant arrested without a warrant must be taken before a District Court judicial officer without unnecessary delay and within 24 hours. (Md. Rule 4-212(e))
• Massachusetts: A defendant who is arrested and not released must be brought for arraignment before a court that is in session, or at its next session. (Mass. R. Crim. P. 7(a))
• Michigan: An officer who arrests without a warrant must take the person without unnecessary delay before a magistrate and present a complaint. (MCL 764.13)
• Minnesota: An arrested person who is not released must be brought before a judge without unnecessary delay and within 36 hours, not counting the day of arrest, Sundays and legal holidays. (Minn. R. Crim. P. 4.02, subd. 5(1))
• Mississippi: An arrested person not otherwise released must be taken before a judge for an initial appearance without unnecessary delay and within 48 hours of arrest. (Miss. R. Crim. P. 5)
• Montana: A person arrested, with or without a warrant, must be taken without unnecessary delay before the nearest and most accessible judge for an initial appearance. (MCA 46-7-101(1))
• Nevada: If an arrested person is not brought before a magistrate within 72 hours, excluding nonjudicial days, the magistrate hears the prosecutor's explanation and may release the person. (NRS 171.178(3))
• New Hampshire: A person arrested must be taken to appear before a circuit court or superior court without unreasonable delay to answer for the offense. (RSA 594:20-a, I)
• New Jersey: If a defendant remains in custody and no detention motion is filed, the first appearance must occur within 48 hours of commitment to the county jail. (N.J. Ct. R. 3:4-2(a))
• New Mexico: Every accused person must be brought before a court with power to release them without unnecessary delay. (NMSA 1978, § 31-1-5(B))
• New York: After an arrest without a warrant, the police must, without unnecessary delay, bring the person before a local criminal court and file an accusatory instrument. (N.Y. Crim. Proc. Law § 140.20(1))
• North Carolina: An officer must take a person arrested without a warrant, and anyone arrested on a warrant for purposes of bail, before a judicial official without unnecessary delay. (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15A-501(2))
• North Dakota: A person making an arrest must take the arrested person without unnecessary delay before the nearest available magistrate. (N.D.R.Crim.P. 5(a)(1))
• Ohio: A person arrested without a warrant and not released must be brought before a court without unnecessary delay, and no later than the time a statute sets for the first bail hearing. (Ohio Crim.R. 4(E)(2)(b))
• Oklahoma: The defendant must in all cases be taken before the magistrate without unnecessary delay. (22 O.S. § 181)
• Oregon: A defendant in custody must be arraigned within the first 36 hours of custody, excluding holidays and weekends, except for good cause or at the defendant's request. (ORS 135.010)
• Pennsylvania: After a warrantless arrest in a court case, a complaint is filed and the defendant gets a preliminary arraignment without unnecessary delay. (Pa.R.Crim.P. 519(A)(1))
• Rhode Island: A person arrested without a warrant must be taken without unnecessary delay before a District Court judicial officer. (R.I. Super. Ct. R. Crim. P. 5(a))
• South Carolina: A person charged with a bailable offense must have a bond hearing within 24 hours of arrest and be released within four hours after the bond is delivered. (S.C. Code § 22-5-510(B))
• South Dakota: A law enforcement officer must take the arrested person without unnecessary delay before the nearest available committing magistrate. (SDCL 23A-4-1)
• Tennessee: Anyone arrested (other than on a capias after indictment or presentment) must be taken without unnecessary delay before the nearest appropriate magistrate. (Tenn. R. Crim. P. 5(a)(1))
• Texas: The arrested person must be taken before a magistrate without unnecessary delay and no later than 48 hours after arrest. (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 15.17(a))
• Utah: A person arrested without a warrant must be taken without unnecessary delay to a magistrate where the offense occurred. (Utah Code § 77-7-23(1)(a)(i)(A))
• Virginia: An officer who arrests on a warrant or capias, without issuing a summons, must bring the person without unnecessary delay before a judicial officer, who holds a bail hearing at once. (Va. Code § 19.2-80)
• Washington: A defendant who is detained or under court-imposed release conditions must be brought before the superior court as soon as practicable, and no later than the close of business on the next court day, unless the defendant has appeared or will appear for a preliminary appearance in a court of limited jurisdiction (a district or municipal court). (CrR 3.2.1(d)(1))
• West Virginia: A person making an arrest must take the arrested person without unnecessary delay before a magistrate of the county where the arrest is made. (W. Va. Code § 62-1-5(a)(1))
• Wisconsin: Any person who is arrested must be taken within a reasonable time before a judge in the county where the offense allegedly occurred. (Wis. Stat. § 970.01(1))
• Wyoming: A person arrested and in custody must be taken without unnecessary delay before a judicial officer of the proper court. (W.R.Cr.P. 5(a))