False arrest victims may have the right to sue the police officer and police department responsible for the arrest. Contents of Complaint.A false arrest is an arrest that is made without probable cause or a valid warrant. 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. In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, an individual may only be arrested or charged in the presence of probable cause. 119 to 124), which can be found in the Crimes Code of Pennsylvania. 1. (1) Except as provided in paragraph (B), when a defendant has been arrested without a warrant in a court case, a complaint shall be filed against the defendant. This is also known as unlawful arrest or wrongful arrest, and it occurs when a cop detains and arrests a person without legal authority. There is no specific procedure or steps. The defendant filled out an incident report about the assault but did not assist in applying for the arrest warrant.