Penal Code §834a provides that if a person has reasonable cause to believe they are being lawfully arrested by a peace officer, they:
Explanation
Penal Code §834a expressly states that if a person has knowledge, or by exercise of reasonable care should have knowledge, that they are being arrested by a peace officer, 'it is the duty of such person to refrain from using force or any weapon to resist such arrest.' The statute applies to peace-officer arrests; common-law rules historically allowed reasonable resistance to plainly unlawful arrests, but §834a sharply curtails that for peace-officer arrests. Options (a), (c), (d) describe the historic rule or invent permissions inconsistent with §834a.
Law Reference: Cal. Penal Code §834aThis topic, taught in full in the California Guard Card (BSIS Security Guard) guide. California Guard Card — Complete Study Guide (2026) — PDF + EPUB, $9.99 · 14-day refund →
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Related questions on this topic
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