California · Penal Code

PEN §1186: The court may, on its own motion, at any time before judgment is pronounced, arrest the judgment for any of the defects in the accusatory pleading upon which a motion in arrest of judgment may be foun

What this law says, in plain English

A court may stop a judgment before it is finalized if there are defects in the charging document that would support a motion to arrest judgment.

Read the full statutory text

The court may, on its own motion, at any time before judgment is pronounced, arrest the judgment for any of the defects in the accusatory pleading upon which a motion in arrest of judgment may be founded as provided in Section 1185, by order for that purpose entered upon its minutes.

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