Legal Question in Criminal Law in California

Penal Code 977 allows your attorney to appear in court on your behalf, so you do not need to be personally present.

Your attorney should provide any necessary paperwork, so I don't understand why you are looking for one to download.

In misdemeanor cases, a written waiver is not required, but you must appear for arraignment on certain charges, including domestic violence offenses.

A written waiver is required in a felony case, and you will need to make at least one appearance because you have to sign it in open court. Most court clerks have a blank 977 form that your attorney can just fill out before your appearance, so you can sign it when your case is called.

The required language for a felony waiver is right in the statute. If your attorney couldn't find it, I would take a serious look at his or her competence and diligence. LawGuru is designed for consumers who don't know where to look for answers to legal questions, not lawyers who are too lazy to do it themselves.