Arraignments
An arraignment is a court appearance in which the judge reads the charges against the defendant, and asks how the defendant would like to plead. Most defendants say, "Not guilty."
People who have been arrested—particularly those who haven’t bailed out of jail or been released on their own recognizance—want to know when they’ll get in front of a judge for their arraignment.
Defendants who believe the case against them is very weak often ask whether it's possible to negotiate a dismissal before the arraignment.
At some point in the early stages of criminal proceedings, whether at the first court appearance or a later arraignment, judges ask defendants how they choose to plead.
Almost inevitably, at some point in criminal proceedings, a defendant will have to enter a plea.
Can I be charged again, even when the case was dismissed at arraignment?
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