148 A Penal Code

Understanding California Penal Code 148: Resisting Arrest

California Penal Code 148 PC is the state’s law against resisting arrest. This law makes it illegal to willfully resist, delay, or obstruct a police officer in the discharge of his or her duties. Resisting arrest seems straightforward on the surface, but this charge can actually get complicated pretty quickly. Let’s break it down so you understand what’s legal and illegal when it comes to interactions with police.

What Does PC 148 Prohibit?

At its core, CA Penal Code 148 prohibits:
Willfully resisting an officer’s lawful arrest
Willfully delaying an officer making a lawful arrest
Willfully obstructing/preventing an officer from performing lawful duties
Now on the surface, this makes sense – you shouldn’t resist if a cop is legitimately arresting you. But the devil is in the details with this law.
For example, what qualifies as “willfully” resisting? What is considered obstruction? And what happens if the arrest itself was unlawful? This stuff gets murky fast.
Let’s tackle some of these questions one by one.

What is Considered “Willful” Resistance or Obstruction?

For this charge to stick, your resistance has to be willful. Essentially, you gotta mean it. Accidentally obstructing an officer or passively resisting a cop’s orders wouldn’t qualify.
Examples of willful resistance can include:
Physically struggling with an officer making an arrest
Running away when a cop attempts to detain or arrest you
Refusing to comply with lawful orders
Providing false ID to conceal your identity
Encouraging others to resist/obstruct officers
Even passive resistance like going limp or clutching onto a fixed object could potentially be seen as willful disobedience.
It’s also illegal to resist an unlawful arrest in California. We’ll dig into that next.

Is it Illegal to Resist an Unlawful Arrest?

Yup – in California, you technically don’t have the legal right to resist even if the arrest itself is unlawful.
I know – it’s kinda crazy.
See, the logic behind this is that it’s up to the courts (not the police) to ultimately determine whether an arrest was valid or not. The cops still have the authority to make arrests, even if those arrests could later be deemed unlawful.
So if a cop is arresting you illegally, your options are:
Comply with orders and contest the validity later in court
File a complaint or lawsuit against the department after-the-fact
Resisting would give police the right to then charge you with a 148 violation.
It’s frustrating, but them’s the breaks in CA. Just something to keep in mind during interactions with police.

What Happens if You Successfully Resist?

Some people are able to successfully resist arrest by escaping police custody. But don’t be fooled – you can still be charged with 148 PC even if you get away or avoid being arrested in the moment.
The crime is resisting – not being successfully arrested. So running away from cops or struggling against their orders can qualify as a violation, even if you do shake them in the end.
You also risk getting hit with additional charges like:
Escaping lawful custody
Evading an officer
Obstructing justice
So keep this in mind if you ever try to pull a fast one on Johnny Law. Getting away temporarily usually causes more problems in the long run.

Common Defenses Against Penal Code 148 Charges

As we just covered, the details and nuances around resisting arrest charges can get hairy quickly. But understanding these intricacies can also help your legal defense, if you ever get slapped with a 148 charge.
Here are some common defenses lawyers use:

You Didn’t “Willfully” Resist

One defense strategy is claiming you didn’t intentionally resist arrest or obstruct the officer.
Maybe you misunderstood their instructions, panicked in the heat of the moment, or failed to comply due to disability or language barriers.
If your resistance was unintentional or there were mitigating factors at play, you may be able to fight the charges.

The Arrest Was Unlawful

As discussed earlier, you technically can’t resist even if the arrest was unlawful in CA.
Buuut…showing the arrest was invalid in the first place can still help your case. It likely won’t lead to a full acquittal, but it may persuade the judge to reduce charges if the cops were clearly out of line.
For the arrest to be lawful, police must have probable cause that you committed a crime. If the cops didn’t have sufficient probable cause, the arrest was unlawful.

You Were Acting in Self-Defense

If a cop uses excessive force during arrest, you have a right to protect yourself with reasonable resistance. The key is keeping yourself safe while not escalating the situation or becoming the aggressor.
If you were acting in self-defense rather than “combatting” the officer’s actions, a good lawyer may get the charges dismissed.

There’s Insufficient Evidence

As with any criminal charge, the burden of proof falls on the prosecution to show you’re guilty beyond reasonable doubt.
If there’s little evidence you actually resisted arrest or obstructed police duties, you may be able to beat a 148 charge for lack of proof.

Penalties for Resisting Arrest Convictions

California punishes resisting arrest under Penal Code 148(a) as a misdemeanor. Potential penalties can include:
Up to 1 year in county jail
Fines up to $1000
Informal probation
If you resist arrest using violence or a dangerous weapon, it becomes a felony under PC 148(b) or PC 148(c). Possible penalties increase to:
16 months – 3 years in state prison
Fines up to $10,000
Resisting arrest also stays on your criminal record as a conviction if found guilty. This can impact future employment, professional licensing, and immigration status.
So while it may be tempting to pull away from cops or disobey their orders during tense arrests, resisting often causes more trouble than it’s worth. Keep your cool and fight any police misconduct through the proper legal channels.

When to Seek Legal Help

Resisting arrest charges have serious penalties, but are also complex cases with multiple angles of defense. Having an experienced criminal lawyer in your corner can make all the difference.
Some signs it may be time to seek legal help:
✓ You’ve been charged with violating PC 148
✓ You have an upcoming court date
✓ You believe you were unlawfully arrested
✓ You acted in lawful self-defense against excessive police force
✓ There may be insufficient evidence against you
Don’t leave your fate in the hands of overworked public defenders. An arrest defense lawyer can carefully examine your case, advocate for your rights, and build the strongest defense to achieve the best outcome.