An arraignment is a first appearance signifying the start of the criminal trial process. It comes shortly after a defendant's arrest and booking, often combined with a bail hearing. The arraignment is typically the first court date for defendants who were not arrested but served with a summons or citation.

Arraignments are the first court appearance for a defendant who has been arrested or charged with a crime. This hearing is the first opportunity to come before a judge and, in some cases, the first opportunity to connect with a criminal defense attorney. The events at an arraignment hearing impact the criminal case moving forward.

Your arraignment hearing is the first court date following your indictment and arrest. You will hear the charges against you during this hearing and enter your initial plea. Thus, your arraignment is a significant step in the criminal justice process for many people.

An arraignment hearing is a legal proceeding in which a judge reads the criminal charges against an accused person. Unless the defense attorney waives the reading, the first thing the judge does at an arraignment is let the defendant know exactly what the charges are against him.

The arraignment hearing is a place for the accused to enter a plea, formally expressing to the court whether he is guilty or innocent of the crime. While the most common pleas entered at an arraignment hearing are “ guilty ” or “ not guilty,” other pleas may be acceptable, depending on the jurisdiction.