All crimes must be reported to the law enforcement agency that has jurisdiction over the city or county where the crime occurred. The law enforcement agency will refer the matter to the District Attorney's Office to determine whether charges should be filed.

Police reports must be obtained from the law enforcement agency that generated the report.

No. The District Attorney's Office is prevented by law from providing legal advice.

Please visit the Fresno Superior Court case information page to view public information.

Deputy district attorneys review cases submitted to the District Attorney’s Office by law enforcement agencies. The facts are reviewed in light of current laws to decide whether criminal charges should be filed in court.

The arraignment is a hearing in court in which the defendant is formally charged with an offense, given a copy of the complaint, and informed of his/her constitutional rights. The defendant enters a plea of guilty or not guilty at this hearing.

The preliminary hearing is not a trial. It is a hearing in court at which witnesses testify and the judge decides if there is enough evidence to require the defendant to stand trial. The jury is not present; the judge alone makes the decision.

A pre-trial conference is an opportunity for the parties to discuss the case with the judge, including possible dispositions and dates for future court hearings.

If an individual is incarcerated in Fresno County, you can check the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office’s Inmate Search page.

To locate an inmate within the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), please call (916) 445-6713, which is accessible 24 hours a day. You must have either the inmate’s CDCR number or the inmate’s full name and date of birth to receive information. You can also find this information on the CDCR website at: https://ciris.mt.cdcr.ca.gov.

No. You will need to report the matter to the officer's employing agency. That agency is required by law to receive a complaint, investigate the matter and respond back to the complaining party.

The Victim/Witness Assistance Program provides various services for victims of violent crime. You may also contact the Victims of Crime Compensation Program at (800) 777-9229.

Since all criminal complaints are handled on behalf of the State of California, only a prosecutor, with the permission of a judge, can dismiss charges. You may, as the victim, discuss your concerns with a representative of the District Attorney's Office. Your concerns are important and will be taken into consideration.

Please contact the law enforcement agency where the crime occurred. That agency is responsible for investigating domestic violence cases.

We work with victims and witnesses in obtaining criminal protective orders after a criminal case has been filed. If a case is presented and filed, the assigned prosecutor can request a criminal protective order in court.

The California Courts Self-Help website also provides information about various types of restraining orders.

To learn more about our victim/witness notification system, please click here.

A subpoena is a legal court order and must be obeyed as such. Please review the WITNESS INSTRUCTIONS section of your subpoena and note the contact number. If no number is listed, please contact the Fresno County District Attorney's Office at (559) 600-3157. Please reference the DA case number when calling.

Disobedience of a subpoena can result in a fine and/or jail sentence, so please be sure to contact the District Attorney's Office upon receipt of your subpoena.

Witnesses are not limited to eye witnesses. You may not have seen the crime happen but you may know something about it. You may also know something about a piece of evidence, or you may know something that contradicts another witness’s testimony. If you wonder why you are testifying in a particular case, contact the deputy district attorney listed on the subpoena for more information.

A subpoena is a court order that must be obeyed. If you have a date conflict, contact the deputy district attorney listed on the subpoena before the appearance date and discuss your conflict. If you do not appear without receiving permission from the deputy district attorney, a warrant can be issued for your arrest.

Yes. The defendant has the right to be present in court to hear what all the witnesses say about him or her. Both the prosecutor and the defendant’s attorney will ask you questions.

To learn more about our victim/witness notification system, please click here.