arraignment
Formal charge reading
An arraignment is a court hearing where a criminal defendant is formally presented with charges and asked to enter a plea—guilty, not guilty, or no contest.
It typically occurs shortly after arrest: The judge scheduled the arraignment for Monday morning.
The arraignment establishes whether the accused will be held or released on bail.
Perceiving sound waves
- defendantParty facing charges
- magistrateCivil judicial officer
- judgeOne who decides
- courtroomJudicial proceedings chamber
docket · bail · counsel · defense · prosecution · accused · charges · appearance
Formal charge from jury
- accusationClaim someone did wrong
- allegationAssertion lacking proof
- felonySerious criminal offense
- misdemeanorLesser criminal charge
complaint · information · counts · formal · reading · specification · criminal · offense
Responsible for wrongdoing
- not guiltyCleared of charges
- plea bargainNegotiated criminal case resolution
- admissionEntry or confession
- denialRefusal to accept reality
allocution · entering · response · waiver · rights · advisement · representation · counsel
hearing
Perceiving sound waves
- defendantParty facing charges
- magistrateCivil judicial officer
- judgeOne who decides
courtroom · docket · bail · counsel · defense · prosecution · accused · charges · appearance · remand
indictment
Formal charge from jury
- accusationClaim someone did wrong
- allegationAssertion lacking proof
- felonySerious criminal offense
misdemeanor · complaint · information · counts · formal · reading · specification · criminal · offense · violation
guilty
Responsible for wrongdoing
- not guiltyCleared of charges
- plea bargainNegotiated criminal case resolution
- admissionEntry or confession
denial · allocution · entering · response · waiver · rights · advisement · representation · counsel · defendant
- courtroomjudge, jury, oath taking, lawyer, bench
- criminal justicearrest, jail, court, prison, crime
- criminal trialdefense attorney, courtroom, criminal trial, prosecutor, charges
- justicecourtroom, trials, retributive justice, courts, gavel
- lawlaw, lawyer, lawyers, attorney, attorneys
- legallawyer, judge, jury, trial, verdict
arraignmentacquittal
Formal clearing of charges
dismissal · conviction · verdict · sentencing · discharge
arraignmentexoneration
Official clearing of blame
exculpation · acquittal · vindication · absolution · clearance