A prosecuting attorney, in his or her discretion, may assist in the civil resolution of a violation of an offense described in Title 13 (commencing with Section 450) of Part 1 of the Penal Code in lieu of filing a criminal complaint.
§ 33.Civil resolution of offense against property
Preliminary Provisions · Enacted 1982 · no amendments on record · Last verified July 28, 2026
In one sentenceSection 33 lets a prosecuting attorney, at their discretion, resolve certain property-offense violations civilly instead of filing a criminal complaint.
Full Text of § 33
Plain-English Summary
Section 33 gives a prosecuting attorney a choice for violations covered by the property-offense provisions of the Penal Code (Title 13, beginning with Section 450): pursue a civil resolution instead of filing a criminal complaint.
The decision is discretionary — the section doesn’t require civil resolution, and it doesn’t take criminal prosecution off the table.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a prosecuting attorney resolve a property offense civilly instead of criminally?
Yes. Section 33 gives the prosecuting attorney discretion to pursue a civil resolution in lieu of filing a criminal complaint for offenses under Penal Code Title 13.
Is a prosecuting attorney required to use the civil-resolution option?
No. Section 33 makes it discretionary, not mandatory.
Amendment History
Added Stats 1982 ch 1518 § 1.
Source & verification. Section text is reproduced verbatim from
the Deering's California Codes Annotated / vLex. Enacted by the California Legislature.
Last verified July 28, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: civil resolution of property offense CaliforniaCCP section 33