Arraignment: Getting to Court

How quickly must police officers get arrestees in front of a judge?

By , Attorney
Defend your rights. We've helped 95 clients find attorneys today.

There was a problem with the submission. Please refresh the page and try again
Full Name is required
Email is required
Please add a valid Email
Phone Number is required
Please add a valid Phone Number
Zip Code is required
Please add a valid Zip Code
Description is required
By clicking "Find a Lawyer", you agree to the Martindale-Nolo Texting Terms. Martindale-Nolo and up to 5 participating attorneys may contact you on the number you provided for marketing purposes, discuss available services, etc. Messages may be sent using pre-recorded messages, auto-dialer or other automated technology. You are not required to provide consent as a condition of service. Attorneys have the option, but are not required, to send text messages to you. You will receive up to 2 messages per week from Martindale-Nolo. Frequency from attorney may vary. Message and data rates may apply. Your number will be held in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

You should not send any sensitive or confidential information through this site. Any information sent through this site does not create an attorney-client relationship and may not be treated as privileged or confidential. The lawyer or law firm you are contacting is not required to, and may choose not to, accept you as a client. The Internet is not necessarily secure and emails sent through this site could be intercepted or read by third parties.

People who have been arrested—particularly those who haven't bailed out of jail or been released on their own recognizance ("O.R.")—want to know when they'll get in front of a judge. They want to know the charges they face, whether they can get out of custody (jail), and whatever else about the criminal process they can glean from that first court appearance.

What Is an Arraignment?

Many states refer to the first appearance as "arraignment," while others use terms like "initial appearance." Some states will have both an initial appearance and arraignment depending on the circumstances. No matter how they describe it, they all prohibit law enforcement agencies from confining suspects indefinitely, without judicial oversight.

When Is the Arraignment?

The timing of the initial appearance varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction—and isn't always clear. (In fact, rules on arraignment and initial appearance can even differ from one city or county to another.) Some state laws specify how soon suspects are entitled to appear in court, while others vaguely ban "unnecessary delay" after arrest. Typically, though, a person who was arrested and is sitting in jail must get before a judge within 24 to 72 hours (with some exceptions). If the person is free on bail, the arraignment may happen later.

What Happens at the Arraignment?

In both state and federal court, the initial court appearance is typically the point at which the court advises the defendant of the charges and certain constitutional rights, including the right to counsel.

The court may also:

  • inquire whether the defendant plans to hire an attorney or (if eligible) use the public defender
  • take the defendant's plea (see How should I plead at arraignment?)
  • determine whether to set bail and in what amount, including whether to release the defendant on O.R.
  • establish conditions for the defendant's release pending resolution of the case (such as travel restrictions or a ban on contact with the alleged victim), or
  • set dates for further proceedings (such as a date for the parties to report back on plea negotiations or for a preliminary hearing).

Some states combine "probable cause determinations" with the arraignment. A probable cause hearing is basically a judicial check on law enforcement's authority to keep a suspect in custody. If the court doesn't find probable cause (sufficient grounds) to believe the defendant committed the crime—a rare occurrence—it must order the defendant's release.

What Happens If a Defendant Isn't Arraigned Within 72 Hours of Arrest?

In practice, government agents have a bit of slack—as long as they make a conscientious effort to get a suspect in front of a judge quickly, they're probably in the clear. And even an illegal delay in bringing a defendant to court probably won't invalidate a subsequent conviction unless the delay somehow contributed to it. (U.S. v. Chavez, 705 F.3d 381 (8th Cir. 2013); Morse v. U.S., 256 F.2d 280 (5th Cir. 1958).)

In a 2009 federal case, for example, FBI agents arrested the defendant for bank robbery pursuant to an arrest warrant early on a Friday morning. The agents began trying to locate a magistrate shortly after the arrest but couldn't find one who was free before Monday, which is when they ended up taking the defendant to court. In the meanwhile, the officers interviewed the defendant—during that interview, which was more than 12 hours after the arrest, he gave self-incriminating statements.

The defendant asked the court to suppress (exclude) his statements because he made them before officers had brought him to a judge. Federal law allows for the suppression of any statements made by a defendant before an initial court appearance if there was an unnecessary delay in getting him or her before a judicial officer. (Statements by the suspect within six hours of arrest are presumptively admissible.) But, because the court considered the delay between the defendant's arrest and first appearance reasonable, it refused to suppress the defendant's statements. (U.S. v. Harrold, 679 F.Supp.2d 1336 (N.D. Ga. 2009).)

Consult a Lawyer

If you've been arrested or charged with a crime, consult an experienced criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. An experienced lawyer can aid in trying to get you out of jail, guide you through the court process, and fully advise you of the applicable laws.

DEFEND YOUR RIGHTS
Talk to a Defense attorney
We've helped 95 clients find attorneys today.
There was a problem with the submission. Please refresh the page and try again
Full Name is required
Email is required
Please add a valid Email
Phone Number is required
Please add a valid Phone Number
Zip Code is required
Please add a valid Zip Code
Description is required
By clicking "Find a Lawyer", you agree to the Martindale-Nolo Texting Terms. Martindale-Nolo and up to 5 participating attorneys may contact you on the number you provided for marketing purposes, discuss available services, etc. Messages may be sent using pre-recorded messages, auto-dialer or other automated technology. You are not required to provide consent as a condition of service. Attorneys have the option, but are not required, to send text messages to you. You will receive up to 2 messages per week from Martindale-Nolo. Frequency from attorney may vary. Message and data rates may apply. Your number will be held in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

You should not send any sensitive or confidential information through this site. Any information sent through this site does not create an attorney-client relationship and may not be treated as privileged or confidential. The lawyer or law firm you are contacting is not required to, and may choose not to, accept you as a client. The Internet is not necessarily secure and emails sent through this site could be intercepted or read by third parties.

How It Works

  1. Briefly tell us about your case
  2. Provide your contact information
  3. Choose attorneys to contact you