When people press charges on somebody, does that mean your going to jail right away or do you go to court first?

Pressing charges means that a crime was committed against you and you want the perpetrated prosecuted.

Most often charges are pressed by the police, but there are crimes against an individual where the victim has to press charges.

If there is sufficient cause to arrest the perpetrator the police will do that. Whether the person goes to jail or no depends on the nature of the crime and the arraignment judge.

But the perp would still have to go to trial before they can be convicted.

Once the charges are pressed, the charges must be reviewed by the DA, then a warrant is issued and you are arrested and then go to court. This is if whatever crime you did the victim did not call the police immediately to the scene of the crime and you were arrested at the scene or they caught you immediately after the crime was committed. If the police arrest you at the scene of the crime, then you go immediately to jail and then court afterwards.

Depends on the circumstances. But in answer to your original question I think the charges would have to be reviewed by the DA and then the person arrested, then court.