Spodek Law Group

Brooklyn Arraignment Lawyers

The court procedure of arraignment is the first step a court makes to officially charge someone with a crime. In a sense, it’s the court’s accusation against you, spelled out in your first day in court. Some very important things will happen during this court proceeding in regards to the crime you’re charged with and your own response to the court in reply to the charge or charges. If you’re facing an arraignment, it’s never a good idea to go alone. Before ever stepping foot in a courtroom, it’s to your benefit to have a lawyer by your side to explain what is happening to you and what will happen during the arraignment.

What Happens During The Arraignment?

You may already be aware that the court is charging you with a crime, but until you stand before a judge on the day of your arraignment, you haven’t been officially charged and there are still legal measures you can take to prevent arraignment. Some arraignments might never happen because a lawyer can settle with the court or in the case of less serious crimes, you might even have a misdemeanor reduced to something that could simply be paid as a fine. In most cases, the arraignment will go through. During your arraignment, these things will happen:

• The judge will read your charges aloud
• The judge will inquire about whether you want an attorney (If you don’t have one)
• The judge will ask how you plead

If you plead guilty, the judge can sentence you right there. If you plead not-guilty, a whole different set of procedures will commence. You might have bail set or you might be released by the judge if your case isn’t that serious and would warrant the judge giving you a chance to go free without bail.

Pleading At Your Arraignment

The plead you make at your arraignment will be one of the most important things you ever do. It will determine the entire direction of your case. Pleading guilty can be a life-altering mistake, especially if you are pleading guilty to a felony. The consequences of this may haunt you for the rest of your life. Before the arraignment, you may ask yourself how to plead in response to your criminal charges.

ONLY A LAWYER CAN ANSWER THIS QUESTION! A defendant is never a good judge of the strength of their not guilty plea, just as they are never a good judge of whether or not they have a strong case that screams, “Guilt!” If you don’t obtain a lawyer before you go to your arraignment, you may make a life-altering and catastrophic legal mistake. People who could have saved their time by pleading guilty may plead not guilty and waste valuable resources. People who could have received lesser charges will never be able to work that out with a judge because a defendant is never their own advocate.

If you have a pending arraignment, call a lawyer today. This is especially important if you’re facing a felony charge. These charges can affect your employment, living arrangements, and entire future life if you fail to fight them off. Without a good lawyer by your side, you simply won’t know what the right plea is. Our Brooklyn arraignment lawyers are there to make sure that you have the representation in the business when you step in front of a judge for your arraignment.

Your arraignment will determine the course of your life for the near future. Call our lawyers today.