Per Penal Code section 237(a), false imprisonment is a misdemeanor if violence, deceit, fraud, or menace were not involved in the offense's commission. False imprisonment lawyers fight to protect their clients' civil rights and the integrity of the justice system as a whole.Learn more about these claims. The plaintiff's claim in a warrantless false arrest lawsuit arose from a sheriff s deputy s visit to her house to check on the welfare of her daughter. No warrant is required. California Penal Code § 236 PC defines false imprisonment as unlawfully restraining, detaining, or confining a person against his or her will. If you were charged with a crime, you can file a motion to exclude evidence obtained from the false arrest. Every arrest must have a warrant. If you are arrested without a warrant, one must be obtained within approximately 72 hours. The Fourth Amendment protects citizens from unreasonable searches and seizures.