What is an Arraignment?
An arraignment is a court hearing that is set to make certain you know the charges against you, and to find out how you plead. The arraignment allows you to enter a plea of “guilty” or “not guilty”. It is not a trial. The arraignment is usually the first contact you have with the court about a particular ticket.
In the State or Federal Court an arraignment is a court hearing where a defendat is formally notified of the charges. You have a constitutional right to be charged without unnecessary delay. If you are in custody, this is usually within two court days. Bail also may be modified at this hearing, either downward or upward depending on the circumstances. A plea can be entered on this date and future court dates are set in almost every instance.
An arraignment is the court appearance when you are notified of the charges being brought against you. It is often your first court appearance. Depending on the jurisdiction and the charges, it is also the time when your attorney enters a plea on your behalf. Sometimes bail conditions are also addressed at the arraignment.
An arraignment is your day in court to hear the charges brought against you. You have a right to be arraigned right away. At the arraignment, you will appear before a judge who will read the charges against you. An attorney may be appointed for you if you can’t afford one, and the bail can be raised or lowered depending on the circumstances of the case. Depending on the crime and the severity of it, you may be allowed to go back to your everyday life until your next court date.
The defendant’s first appearance in court will normally be the arraignment. A first appearance shall be conducted within 48 hours of arrest if the defendant is still in jail. If the defendant has been released on his own recognizance or has posted a bond or cash bail, the arraignment will occur within a short time period after the defendant’s release from jail. At the arraignment, the defendant is informed of the charges against him and he/she is asked to enter a plea. The plea may be one of not guilty, guilty, or no contest. If the defendant enters a plea of guilty or no contest (nolo contendere), the judge may, in most circumstances, impose sentence immediately. If the defendant enters a plea of not guilty, the matter is set for trial within 60 days of the arraignment date.