California · Penal Code

PEN §1447: When the defendant is acquitted in a misdemeanor or infraction case, if the court certifies in the minutes that the prosecution was malicious and without probable cause, the court may order the compla

Civil

What this law says, in plain English

When a defendant is acquitted in a misdemeanor or infraction case and the court finds the prosecution was malicious and without probable cause, the court may order the complainant to pay trial costs or provide a bond to pay them within 30 days.

Read the full statutory text
When the defendant is acquitted in a misdemeanor or infraction case, if the court certifies in the minutes that the prosecution was malicious and without probable cause, the court may order the complainant to pay the costs of the action, or to give an undertaking to pay the costs within 30 days after the trial.

Verify at the official source: California legislative text

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