An arraignment is the first formal court hearing after an arrest. During an arraignment, the court will advise you of your Constitutional rights, and notify you of the specific charges that have been filed against you. At this point, you will have the chance to enter a plea for the first time (guilty, not guilty, or no contest). The court will then set, modify, reinstate or exonerate your bail.
The arraignment will take place once the prosecutor has filed formal charges. For felony cases, the arraignment must occur within 48 hours after arrest if you are in custody. If you are not in custody, then you must be arraigned “without unnecessary delay.” This could mean that it may be weeks or months before you are arraigned. For misdemeanors, you will be arraigned for at least 10 days after your arrest.
