The arraignment is the first court appearance.

A Judicial Officer informs the defendant/attorney of the following:

• Alleged charges
• Constitutional rights

A copy of the accusatory pleading is provided to the defendant/attorney. The defendant/attorney will enter a plea of:

• Not Guilty - the defendant states he/she did not commit the crime. The case will be set for a future hearing.
• Guilty - the defendant admits that he/she did commit the crime.
• No Contest - the defendant will not contest the charge.  The plea has the same effect as a guilty plea except the conviction cannot be used against the defendant in a civil suit.