A false arrest is one way of committing false imprisonment. Absent actual or threatened violence, false imprisonment is a usually a misdemeanor under California Penal Code §237.Similar to unlawful detention, falsely arresting you is restraining you without legal justification. A false is a detention that unlawfully restrains the victim's liberty. False arrest is the unlawful violation of the personal liberty of another consisting of detention without sufficient legal authority. California law makes it illegal to restrain, detain or confine someone without their consent. Doing so is the crime of "false imprisonment." A false is a detention that unlawfully restrains the victim's liberty. The person arrested may be subjected to such restraint as is reasonable for his arrest and detention. 835a. Similarly, "false arrest" is when someone arrests another individual without the legal authority to do so.