Many people that are issued citations for misdemeanors, or even those released on bail for felony charges, don’t know what happens at an arraignment.

At an arraignment, you are arraigned on the charges against you. What that means is that a judge must read you the complaint, listing the crimes against you, and must advise you of your rights. An attorney may waive these rights on your behalf to speed the process up, however, by law you are to be admonished of the charges and your rights.

This step is just a formal step that must happen as part of the criminal process. Although nothing too significant occurs at this stage in the process, the prosecution usually likes to make an offer. The defendant then can decide to take the plea bargain and accept the consequences of the plea, or set the case for either a pre-trial or a preliminary hearing, for felonies (an arraignment does also occur after the preliminary hearing in felony cases - this we will go into further later). Entering a plea of not guilty and postponing the case gives the attorney time to look over the police report and decide the strategy or way in which he would like to handle the case.

It is important that you hire an attorney that can fully advise you of your rights and be ready to present your case before a judge and/or jury. The Law Offices of Michael S. Carrillo can provide you with a free consultation and a breakdown of your case every step of the way. We pride ourselves on individualized attention to your case. To us, you’re not just a file but you’re a person struggling to find the best outcome to your case. Give us a call at (323) 600-5393 or email us at mike@mikecarrillo.com for an immediate response.