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In this video, we discuss what to do when you receive a Notice of Complaint Filed in Orange County and how to respond effectively. A Notice of Complaint is a formal document from the Orange County District Attorney’s Office signaling the start of a legal proceeding against you. If you appeared in court and no case was filed against you at that time, you may receive this notice 45-60 days later, alerting you to your upcoming arraignment.

Failing to respond to a Notice of Complaint Filed can have serious consequences, such as the issuance of a bench warrant, leading to your arrest. It's crucial to attend your court date or have a criminal defense attorney represent you to avoid an unfavorable outcome. Legal representation during this time is important, particularly in cases involving DUIs, domestic violence, shoplifting, or hit-and-run incidents.

In many cases, when you appear in court and the case isn’t on the calendar, you will receive instructions from the District Attorney’s Office explaining why. There are three common reasons: the District Attorney hasn’t received paperwork from the agency, the case is still under review, or it’s been sent back for further investigation.

The notice you receive marks your arraignment date, where you or your attorney can enter a plea and obtain the necessary documents for your defense. In some cases, like second or third DUI charges or domestic violence, bail considerations or custody issues may arise. It’s important to have a bail bondsman ready in case the court orders custody or imposes bail conditions.

Delays in filing may occur due to administrative reasons or the need for further investigation. However, it’s critical to understand that the statute of limitations still applies—one year for misdemeanors and longer for felonies. If you’ve received a Notice of Complaint Filed, it’s essential not to ignore it. Consult with a criminal defense attorney who can guide you through the legal process and help you prepare your defense.

If you’re dealing with this situation, contact us today for expert legal assistance. Don’t face this complex process alone. Feel free to leave any questions in the comments or use the “Make an Appointment” button for personalized help.

Stay informed, and don’t forget to subscribe for more important legal updates!
Transcript
00:00Hi, welcome to our legal channel. Today,
00:03we're discussing a critical topic that affects many in Orange County,
00:07understanding and responding to a notice of complaint filed.
00:11If you've received one of these, it's crucial to know your next steps.
00:16A notice of complaint filed is a formal document from the Orange County district
00:21attorney's office.
00:22It signals the start of a legal proceeding against you.
00:25It's often sent if you've previously appeared in court and found no case
00:30filed against you.
00:32Although there have been times where it is sent before your
00:37first court date as well.
00:39The notice generally arrives about 45 to 60 days after your
00:44initial court date.
00:46This means that you showed up to court and there was no case on calendar and you
00:50went home. After that,
00:53they send you out another letter alerting you of your upcoming arraignments.
00:59Ignoring this letter can lead to serious consequences like the issuance of a
01:03bench warrants. It's important that you get this letter and show up to court.
01:08If you don't,
01:10then this can result in your arrest and an unfavorable outcome in your legal
01:15manner.
01:15It's vital to appear in court or have a criminal defense attorney represent you
01:20in court.
01:21So that way you do not have to go.
01:24It's important to have and consider legal representation during
01:29this time.
01:32And the criminal defense attorney can access and analyze your police report and
01:36represent you effectively.
01:38Legal support is often important in cases like DUIs,
01:43domestic violence, shoplifting,
01:47and hit and runs.
01:49Oftentimes when you appear on your court case on the first day,
01:54you'll notice that your case is not on calendar.
01:59What will happen next is that you'll be sent over to the orange County district
02:02attorney's office on it. You will get a piece of paper.
02:07The piece of paper will detail why your case isn't on the initial court
02:11calendar. There'll be three reasons.
02:14It may indicate that the district attorney has not received the paperwork from
02:19the agency yet. Number two was it's still under review or number three,
02:24the case got sent back for investigation.
02:27It also includes instruction on how to follow up on your case.
02:31These are things to consider.
02:34Other things to consider on your first court date is arraignment and bail
02:38conditions.
02:39Remember when you receive this paper, the notice marks your arraignment date.
02:44If it's a misdemeanor, you can enter a plea.
02:46Your attorney can obtain relevant case documents and prepare for your defense.
02:52In cases of second or third DUIs or domestic violence,
02:56there might be a custody or bail considerations.
03:01When this is the case, you will want to have a bail bondsman ready.
03:05The court will take you into custody or threaten to take you into custody with
03:10conditions. In a perfect world,
03:13your court case will be held on the day that you were cited. However,
03:16delays can occur due to various reasons, including administrative ones.
03:21The case starts with the police department and moves to the district attorney's
03:25office for review. It's essential to follow up regularly.
03:29If your case isn't filed immediately.
03:31Some of the reasons why it can be delayed is what we indicated above.
03:36It's still under review.
03:37Hasn't been in the office or someone has sent it back for further
03:41investigation. If it's sent back for further investigation,
03:45they do have to follow it by the statute of limitations. In misdemeanors,
03:49these are one year. For felonies, it's a little different.
03:53Delays can affect the case,
03:55especially if it stretches beyond the statute of limitations.
03:58If you received a notice of complaint filed, don't take it lightly.
04:02Consult with your criminal defense attorney to understand your charges and
04:05prepare for court. Remember,
04:07this notice is an early step in a potentially complex legal journey.
04:14If you're facing the situation, we're here to help.
04:17Don't navigate these waters alone. Contact us for legal assistance.
04:22If you have questions, leave a question in the comment below.
04:25If you're too shy to put your issues out there for the world to see,
04:29you can use the make an appointment button or give our office a call.
04:32Thank you for watching and remember to subscribe for more informative legal
04:36content. Stay informed, stay prepared.

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