arraignments
Formal criminal charges
Arraignments is the plural of arraignment, a formal court proceeding where a defendant is brought before a judge to hear the charges against them and enter a plea.
The arraignment typically happens shortly after arrest: The arraignments were scheduled for Monday morning.
It marks the official beginning of criminal proceedings.
Party facing charges
- judgeOne who decides
- magistrateCivil judicial officer
- prosecutorGovernment's trial lawyer
- defense attorneyLawyer representing the accused
bailiff · courtroom · bench · docket · public defender · district attorney · clerk · gallery
Formal request or defense
- hearingPerceiving sound waves
- bailCourt-set release payment
- bondBinding tie or connection
- pretrial releaseFreedom before court proceedings
remand · continuance · scheduling · discovery · preliminary hearing · probable cause · detention hearing · release conditions
Formal charge from jury
- accusationClaim someone did wrong
- allegationAssertion lacking proof
- chargeCost or accusation
- incriminationSuggesting someone's guilt
criminal complaint · information · presentment · booking · arrest · custody · detention · suspect
Admitting criminal responsibility
- not guilty pleaDefendant's denial of wrongdoing
- remandReturn for further proceedings
- releaseTo let go
- detentionTemporary official holding
recognizance · trial date · case dismissed · charges dropped · plea bargain
defendant
Party facing charges
- judgeOne who decides
- magistrateCivil judicial officer
- prosecutorGovernment's trial lawyer
defense attorney · bailiff · courtroom · bench · docket · public defender · district attorney · clerk · gallery · bar
plea
Formal request or defense
pretrial release · remand · continuance · scheduling · discovery · preliminary hearing · probable cause · detention hearing · release conditions
indictment
Formal charge from jury
- accusationClaim someone did wrong
- allegationAssertion lacking proof
- chargeCost or accusation
incrimination · criminal complaint · information · presentment · booking · arrest · custody · detention · suspect · accused
guilty plea
Admitting criminal responsibility
- not guilty pleaDefendant's denial of wrongdoing
- remandReturn for further proceedings
- releaseTo let go
detention · recognizance · trial date · case dismissed · charges dropped · plea bargain
- court administrationclerks, court clerks, docket, dockets, docketing
- court recordscourt documents, court transcripts, court records, court cases, court record
- criminal courtstrials, courtroom, verdicts, defendants, accused
- municipal courtscity courts, traffic courts, housing court, night court, court clerks
- prosecutor's officeprosecutor, DA, district attorney, assistant DA, deputy prosecutor
- courtsfamily court, civil court, district court, criminal court, circuit court
arraignmentsacquittals
Verdicts freeing defendants
dismissals · sentencings · verdicts · convictions · final judgments
arraignmentsreleases
Lets go or publishes
exonerations · dropped charges · acquittals · dismissals · discharges