Before criminal law defense attorney will work for their clients, evidence has to be presented in regards to what crime was committed. Usually when a person is arrested, they need to hire an attorney to defend them.
Once the arrest occurs, the defendant will appear in court at an arraignment. During this arraignment, the defendant will meet with his or her attorney and read information that relates to the specific charge against him or her.
Arraignments are typically conducted once the suspect (defendant) has been booked and arrested by the police. During the arraignment, the defendant will be asked to plead guilty or not guilty. The defendant can also plea no contest.
At the arraignment, the attorney and defendant will appear before the presiding judge, in which the judge will ask the defendant to acknowledge his or her identity.
If the defendant does not have legal counselor, the judge will ask him or her if they will like the court to appoint him or her an attorney. The judge may inform the defendant of his or her charges and sentence or punishment those results from his or her actions.
Until the defendant is proved guilty beyond doubt, the sentence does not reflect during the arraignment on his or her case. If the defendant is charged or found guilty of a misdemeanor, the judge will reply to him or her with written charges that contain a plea of not guilty, guilty, nolo contendere or no contest.
If he or she is charged with a felony, a plea may not be entered by the defendant at the initial arraignment. This action may differ depending on the state the crime was committed.
After the arraignment, the judge will set a tentative preliminary hearing. This does not apply to every state. In some instances a grand jury will be asked to convene, especially if there is probable cause that indicates the prisoner is innocent, or rejecting his or her guilt.
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