(888) 702-8882Frequently Asked Questions
The criminal justice system is not designed for people to represent themselves. Getting “fair” treatment is not usually possible without the help of a skilled criminal defense attorney.
Have you been stopped by law enforcement?
If you are stopped by law enforcement, carefully follow all instructions the officer gives to you. Make no unnecessary moves, and keep your hands in clear view. Speak only when asked questions, and then keep in mind your right to remain silent.
If you are stopped by law enforcement, keep in mind the Miranda warnings made popular in television programs:
“You have the right to remain silent
Anything you say can and may be used against you in court
You have the right to an attorney before and during any questioning
If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed to assist you”
Many people feel they can easily handle any contact with law enforcement, but in fact, these contacts are most often filled with surprise, fear, confusion and many other forms of severe discomfort that typically affect human decision-making capabilities. Consequently, if you are questioned by law enforcement, it is essential to keep these rights in mind and to invoke the rights as soon as possible. State clearly that you wish to have an attorney present before and during any questioning. If law enforcement continues to question you after you have requested an attorney, repeat your request for an attorney and otherwise remain silent.
If you are 16 years old or less, request law enforcement to contact your parent or guardian, and wait until your parent or guardian arrives to where you are being held, before you answer any questions. You should also request law enforcement to have an attorney present before and during any questioning, regardless of whether your parent or guardian is present.
What can Law Enforcement do to you?
Law enforcement’s duty to advise you of your Miranda rights is limited. If you are “in custody” and are being questioned, the police may have to advise you of your rights. HOWEVER, you must not rely on the police advising you of your rights because there are many situations where law enforcement is NOT under a duty to make these advisements. The fact that law enforcement does not advise you of your rights does NOT render the arrest unlawful.
You are under no duty to answer any questions except your name and address.
Law enforcement is under NO DUTY to advise you of your rights in order to search you or your property. Nevertheless, law enforcement can only search you or your property under certain circumstances. This area of the law is very complicated and you should check with an attorney about your particular situation.
While you do have the right to refuse to be searched or have your property searched, there are situations where law enforcement can search you or your property without your consent. You should make it clear to law enforcement that you do not consent to the search, but that you will not resist the search. If law enforcement has a search warrant, ask for a copy of the warrant.
What do I do if I think I am under investigation?
If you have reason to believe you are under investigation by San Bernardino law enforcement, you should contact your defense attorney at My Rights Law either by telephone at 909-340-2000 or by email: bobby@myrightslawgroup.com. Consultation with an attorney is important so that you can understand your rights, responsibilities and the potential outcomes of any law enforcement investigation. Most law enforcement investigators will understand and must respect your desire to first speak with an attorney. Any consultation about your own potential case with us will be completely confidential. We will accept collect calls regarding San Bernardino County criminal or civil commitment legal matters.
What do you do when you or someone you know has been arrested?
Learning that a loved one has been arrested is a painful and stressful experience. Uncertainty and lack of information about the process only make things more difficult. The arrest process is complex; there are exceptions to every rule. But the following information can help guide you through the process.
People arrested by a law enforcement agency are taken for initial processing to the stationhouse of the agency in which the arrest occurred. Excluding holidays and weekends, the in custody arraignment must happen within 48 hours of the arrest: This will probably be the first time you will be able to see your friend or loved-one following an arrest. An arraignment is the court proceeding at which the arrestee is informed of his rights and the charges against him, he is given a copy of the charging document, an opportunity to enter a plea to the charges and bail will be set. The court will also set the next court hearing date at the arraignment. Arraignments are held in court but the arrestee may appear by video from either the West Valley Detention Center or the Adelanto Detention Center.
In the County of San Bernardino, each local law enforcement agency has different booking procedures. The following is a list of local stationhouses with information about their booking procedures.
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY BOOKING PROCEDURES
2500 S. Archibald Ave.
Ontario, Ca. 91761
(909) 395-2001
Ontario P.D. has holding cells only. Arrestees are held for a maximum of 5 hours and are then transferred to West Valley Detention Center.
1499 W. 13th Street
Upland Ca. 91786
(909) 946-7624
Arrestees are booked at the station and then transported to West Valley Detention Center. If arrestees are cite released, they are released from Upland P.D.
5111 Benito Street
Montclair, Ca. 91763
(909) 621-5873
Montclair P.D. has holding cells only. Arrestees are transported to West Valley Detention Center for booking.
13250 Central Ave.
Chino, Ca. 91710
(909) 628-1234
Chino P.D. has no booking facilities. Arrestees are transported to West Valley Detention Center for booking.
17005 Upland Ave.
Fontana, Ca. 92335
(909) 350-7740
Holding cells only; Arrestees are booked and housed at West Valley Detention Center.
1584 W. Baseline Street. #106
San Bernardino, Ca. 92411
(909) 384-5752
Arrestees may be transported to Central Detention Center in San Bernardino or West Valley Detention Center:
9500 Etiwanda Ave.
Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91739
(909) 350-2476
630 E. Rialto Ave.
San Bernardino, Ca. 92415
(909) 386-0969
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY SHERIFF STATIONS
The Sheriff has a convenient website to obtain information about people arrested within the last 72 hours.
The address of this website is:
655 E. Third St.
San Bernardino, CA 92415
(909) 387-3699
Hours: M-F 8:30 – 3:30
Individuals who arrested by the following Sheriff’s agencies are transported from the Sheriff substations to West Valley Detention Center.
13843 Peyton Dr.
Chino Hills, CA 91709
(909) 364-2000
Hours: Tu/Th 9:00 – 4:00
Appointment Required
17780 Arrow Blvd.
Fontana, CA 92335
(909) 356-6767
Hours: Tu/Th 9:00 – 11:00 / 1:00 – 3:00
Appointment Required
26985 Baseline
Highland, CA 92346
(909) 425-9797
Hours: M/F 8:00 – 4:30
Appointment Required
10510 Civic Center Dr.
Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730
(909) 477-2800
Hours: M-F 9:00 – 5:00
26010 Highway 189
Twin Peaks, CA 92391
(909) 336-0600
Hours: Tu-F 1:00 – 4:00
34282 Yucaipa Blvd.
Yucaipa, CA 92399
(909) 790-3105
Hours: M-F 9:00 – 2:00
477 Summit Blvd.
Big Bear Lake, CA 92315
(909) 866-0100
Hours: M-F 8:00 – 4:00
HIGH DESERT
High desert law enforcement agencies include Apple Valley, Adelanto, Hesperia, Victorville, Wrightwood, and Phelan, and Barstow. All of the above agencies contracts with the San Bernardino County Sheriff and are staffed by Sheriff Deputies. Arrestees in high desert cities may be transported to the Victorville Jail, Adelanto Detention Center, or West Valley Detention Center. Individuals who are brought in on warrants are transported to the Victorville jail located at 14455 Civic Center Dr Victorville, Ca. They are arraigned on the warrant and depending on the type of case, are transferred either to Adelanto Detention Center or West Valley Detention Center. Adelanto Detention Center is a dormitory-style facility which houses low-security offenders only, i.e., drug possession, petty theft, etc. More serious offenders are transported to West Valley Detention Center.
9438 Commerce Way
Adelanto, California 92301
(760) 530-9300
14900 Aztec Rd.
Apple Valley, Ca. 92307
(760) 240-4700
9393 Santa Fe Ave.
Hesperia, Ca. 92345
(760) 947-1500
14200 Amargosa Rd.
Victorville, Ca. 92392
(760) 241-2911
Phelan Sheriff Station
4050 Phelan Road
P.O. Box 292000
Phelan, CA 92371
(760) 868-1006
Hours: By Appointment Only
255 East Mt. View
Barstow, CA 92321
(760) 256-4838
Hours: M/Tu/Th 8:00 – 11:00 / 1:00 – 4:00
Appointment Required
11613 Bartlett Ave.
Adelanto, CA 92301
(760) 246-1000
Hours: M-F 8:00 – 4:30
Appointment Required
14931 Dale Evans Pkwy.
Apple Valley, CA 92307
(760) 240-7400
Hours: Thurs. Only 8:00 – 5:00
Appointment Required
LOW DESERT
1111 Bailey Ave.
Needles, CA 92363
(760) 326-9200
Hours: Tu/Th 10:00 – 2:00
Arrestees at the Colorado River station are booked in Needles. Sheriff’s transportation runs on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for transport to West Valley Detention Center. Arrestees who are not cite released are held for 96 hours and then transported to West Valley Detention Center.
32700 Old Woman Springs Rd.
Lucerne, CA 92356
(760) 248-6686
Hours: By Appointment Only
Arrestees are transported to Victorville Jail for booking and then either to Adelanto Detention Center or West Valley Detention Center, depending on the severity of the charge.
6527 White Feather Rd.
Joshua Tree, CA 92252
(760) 366-5703
Hours: M-F 8:00 – 5:00
Arrestees are transported to Victorville jail for booking and then to either Adelanto Detention Center or West Valley Detention Center, depending on the severity of the charge.
13215 Market St.
Trona, CA 93562
(760) 372-4096
Hours: By Appointment Only
Arrestees are transported to Victorville jail for booking and then to either Adelanto Detention Center or West Valley Detention Center, depending on the severity of the charge.
Bail
Bail is money that some criminal defendants are required to deposit to guarantee that they will return to court if released from jail while their cases are pending. Although there are several exceptions, in general people arrested for an infraction or a misdemeanour must be released upon signing a written notice to appear. Exceptions to this general rule include cases in which:
* the arrestee requests to be brought before a judge
* the arrestee refuses to sign a promise to appear
* the arrestee is charged with a violation of a domestic violence protective order
* the arrestee is severely intoxicated or requires medical attention
* the arrestee has outstanding warrants* the arrestee fails to provide satisfactory identification
* the release would jeopardize the prosecution of the offence for which the person was arrested
* the safety of others would be jeopardized if the arrestee is released
* the officer has reason to believe the arrestee will not appear
* the arrestee is charged with Driving Under the Influence.
An arrestee may be released on his own recognizance, or released “OR.” If released OR, the arrestee may be required to submit to reasonable conditions of release. If a court agrees to release the arrestee OR, the court will require him to sign an agreement specifying his
* Promise to appear at all times and places as ordered
* Promise to obey all reasonable conditions of the release
* Promise not to leave the state without the court’s permission
* Agreement to waive extradition from another state if it becomes necessary
* Acknowledgement the arrestee understands the consequences of violating the conditions of OR release
At a bail hearing, the judge will set the bail amount according to the County’s bail schedule and in light of the circumstances of the arrestee’s background and the conduct with which he is charged. The County of San Bernardino has a bail schedule guiding the amount of bail for the pertinent charges that are posted at
The bail schedule is a guideline, thus the actual bail set may deviate from the schedule.
Bail may be posted with cash, a cashier’s check or through a bail bond. A bail bond is a legal contract that requires someone to pay money if a defendant fails to return to court. It is guaranteed by the assets of the person who posted it, such as real estate, savings, or valuable personal property. To post the bail, money can be deposited with the Sheriff’s Department. For more information about how to post bail for your particular situation, call the Sheriff’s Department at (909) 350-2476.
What are my rights if my property is taken?
If the police take your property when they search or arrest you, they must give you a document that acts as a receipt. Each law enforcement agency has its own form to act as a receipt, and these documents most often contain a line for you to sign acknowledging the officer provided you a copy of the receipt, and/or that the receipt is accurate. You are entitled to a receipt that is correct and complete. If the receipt is incorrect or incomplete, do not sign it, and ask for the receipt to be corrected. You do not have to sign the receipt to have your property returned. Tell your attorney if the receipt given to you is incomplete.
Why was my property taken?
The police can only take your property for the following reasons – Safekeeping, Forfeiture, Evidence and Contraband.
SAFEKEEPING
Valuables such as money, jewelry and furs are taken from an arrestee to prevent them from being stolen. An arrestee’s car is sometimes impounded to keep it safe while he is in custody. Property taken for safekeeping only should be returned upon presentation of the receipt and proper identification. Contact your attorney if law enforcement refuses to return property seized for safekeeping.
FORFEITURE
Property may be seized and held by the police because they believe it was used to commit or was proceeds of a crime.The police may permanently keep or sell property if they can prove in a civil court that it was unlawfully used or obtained. The police have seized for forfeiture:
Cars driven by a drunk or reckless driver or without a valid driver’s license, or used to obtain drugs or the services of a prostitute, or that contain a loaded gun. Cars used in these crimes may be seized even if the owner of the car was not arrested for the offense.
Money that was exchanged for drugs, or that was intended to be exchanged for drugs, or used in gambling.
Merchandise that was sold on the street without a vendor’s license.
Tools or equipment that was used to break into a car or building or to sell drugs. This may include a beeper or mobile phone that was possessed for communication during a crime.
EVIDENCE
Property may be temporarily held as evidence by law enforcement even though it is rightfully yours and was not used illegally. Although your attorney may sometimes be able to promptly reclaim this property for you, property held as evidence will usually be held until the end of the criminal case, including all appeals. For example, the district attorney may hold your coat as evidence, if they believe that it will identify you as the person who committed a crime. If you are arrested for selling drugs, any large sum of cash that you were carrying will probably be held as evidence of the charge. Evidence may also be taken from people who are not charged with any crime, such as witnesses to or victims of a crime. For instance, if your friend borrows your car and is later arrested in your car after he used it to commit a drive-by shooting, your car will be impounded and kept as evidence in that crime.
CONTRABAND
This is property that has been taken or confiscated because it is a crime to have it. This category includes illegal dugs, unlicensed handguns, switchblade knives, forged papers, counterfeit money, or fake credit cards. If you have been charged with possession of contraband, it will be held as evidence while your case is in court, and may be destroyed afterwards.
How do I get my property back?
You should check with your attorney before making a request to have any property released to your possession. How to get your property back depends on whether the property was taken as contraband or for safekeeping, evidence/investigation, or forfeiture.
Upon request by the property’s rightful owner or his appointed representative, the law enforcement agency property clerk should release property taken for safekeeping. If you are held in custody while your case is pending, property held for safekeeping can be obtained by a friend or relative who has your receipt, a notarized letter from you which authorizes that friend or relative to claim your property, and proper identification. You may also apply for the return of your property by mail.
If the property is being held for forfeiture, you have a right to notice and a hearing prior to the property being permanently taken from you. You should consult with your attorney to assist you with the forfeiture process.
If the property is being held as evidence, you will first need an order from the court to release property.
Property that is illegal to possess like narcotics that you have without a prescription – will NOT be returned.
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