Just to clarify, there's a difference between "arrest" and "custody". We often use these terms interchangeably, but the distinction may explain this timeline.
When we get stopped by an officer for speeding, but only get a ticket and continue on our way, that's an arrest (without us being taken into custody).
If we're total dicks during that traffic stop, it could very well get us arrested and also taken into custody.
The converse is also true, and people are frequently taken into custody without any arrest documents getting filed. While this is technically both an arrest and custody, the most often dynamics involve officer issued citations (i.e., not an official document reviewed or filed by an attorney). This is where the prosecutor, district attorney, county attorney (whatever the jurisdiction calls the state's attorney) come into play. The officer citation often gets withdrawn and either the case concludes upon release, or, the investigation continues at the direction of the attorney and gets refiled via complaint (while the person remains in custody or gets released pending refile)
FWIW
Thanks -- by any chance do you know of a site or book that includes a dictionary/glossary of legal terms for laymen?
