How Do Arraignments Work?

The arraignment happens after the arrest and booking. At an arraignment, the defendant will go in front of a judge. The Judge will then proceed to: ... For misdemeanor charges the judge will ask the defendant if they want to plead guilty, not guilty, stand mute (which the court treats as a not guilty plea) or no contest.

Can charges be dropped at an arraignment hearing?

Although it is rare, it is possible for charges to be dropped at an arraignment. This may happen through a probable cause hearing, which typically occur during an arraignment.

What happens after an arraignment?

What happens after the arraignment? Some time after the arraignment, the abusive person will have to go to court for a pre-trial conference. At that conference, they may plead guilty to something that settles the case. If they do not plead guilty, the court will set a trial date.