California · Penal Code

PEN §1396: If an accusatory pleading is filed, the corporation may appear by counsel to answer the same, except that in the case of misdemeanors arising from operation of motor vehicles, or of infractions arisin

Civil

What this law says, in plain English

This statute addresses procedural rules for how corporations may appear and respond to criminal charges, specifying representation methods for different offense types.

Read the full statutory text

If an accusatory pleading is filed, the corporation may appear by counsel to answer the same, except that in the case of misdemeanors arising from operation of motor vehicles, or of infractions arising from operation of motor vehicles, a corporation may appear by its president, vice president, secretary or managing agent for the purpose of entering a plea of guilty. If it does not thus appear, a plea of not guilty shall be entered, and the same proceedings had thereon as in other cases.

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This page is legal information, not legal advice. Code text is sourced from official publications and may lag amendments — always confirm at the official source linked above. Plain-English summaries and relationship data are AI-derived and reviewed on an ongoing basis; verify with a licensed attorney before acting.