Penal Code section 858.5

(a)

In any case in which a defendant is, on his demand, brought before a magistrate pursuant to Section 822 after arrest for a misdemeanor Vehicle Code violation, the magistrate shall give such instructions to the defendant as required by law and inform the defendant of his rights under this section, and, if the defendant desires to plead guilty or nolo contendere to the charge in the complaint, he may so advise the magistrate. If the magistrate determines that such plea would be in the interest of justice, he shall direct the defendant to appear before a specified appropriate court in the county in which defendant has been arrested at a designated certain time, which in no case shall be more than 10 calendar days from the date of arrest, for plea and sentencing. The magistrate shall request the court in which the complaint has been filed to transmit a certified copy of the complaint and any citation and any factual report which may have been prepared by the law enforcement agency that investigated the case to the court in which defendant is to appear for plea and sentencing. If the court of which the request is made deems such action to be in the interest of justice, and the district attorney of the county in which that court sits, after notice from the court of the request it has received, does not object to such action, the court shall immediately transmit a certified copy of the complaint and the report of the law enforcement agency that investigated the case, and, if not, shall advise the requesting magistrate of its decision not to take such action.
When defendant appears for plea and sentencing, and if a copy of the complaint has been transmitted, the court shall read the copy of the complaint to him, and the defendant may plead guilty or nolo contendere. Such court shall have jurisdiction to accept the plea and impose a sentence. Such court shall notify the court in which the complaint was originally filed of the disposition of the case. If defendant does not plead guilty or nolo contendere, or if transmittal of a copy of the complaint has been refused or if a copy of the complaint has not been received, the court shall terminate the proceedings under this section and shall direct the defendant to appear before the court or magistrate by whom the warrant was issued on or before a certain day which in no case shall be more than five days after the date such direction is made.

(b)

Any fines imposed by a court which is given authority to sentence pursuant to this section shall be remitted to the court in which the complaint was originally filed for disposition as required by law. The county of the sentencing court shall bear all costs incurred incident to acceptance of the plea and sentencing, and no part of such costs shall be deducted from the fine remitted to the court in which the complaint was filed.

Source: Section 858.5, https://leginfo.­legislature.­ca.­gov/faces/codes_displaySection.­xhtml?lawCode=PEN§ionNum=858.­5.­ (accessed Apr. 24, 2025).

Last Updated

Apr. 24, 2025

§ 858.5’s source at ca​.gov