In most cases, the Arraignment is the first time the defendant will appear in court. The Arraignment date is listed on all summons and complaints. If a defendant loses their summons and complaint, they can find their court date by doing a Court Date Search that will give them a list of all their cases with upcoming court dates. Arraignment Courtrooms are located in the Lindsey-Flanigan Courthouse at 520 W. Colfax Avenue and are Courtrooms 4C or 4F.
At the Arraignment, the Judge or Magistrate tells the defendant:
- What the charges are;
- What his or her constitutional rights are;
- What all the possible penalties are; and
- That if he or she does not have enough money to hire a lawyer, the court will appoint a lawyer for free.
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The defendant may respond to the charges by entering a plea. Common pleas include guilty, not guilty, or no contest (nolo-contendere).
- Not guilty means the defendant says he or she did not commit the crime and they want to go to trial.
- Guilty means the defendant admits he or she committed the crime. The Judge or Magistrate accepts the guilty plea and enters a conviction in the court records.
- No contest means the defendant does not contest (disagree with) the charge. The plea has the same effect as a guilty plea.
At Arraignment the defendant may enter a plea of guilty to an agreed upon plea bargain. A plea bargain is an agreement between the defendant, his or her lawyer, and the prosecutor which may include a reduction of charges, dismissal of some charges, or agreement on sentencing.
Information on a continuance may be found HERE.