Arraignment

Your arraignment is your first hearing before a judge. At this stage, you will enter a plea—almost always “not guilty.”

Never plead guilty at this stage.
A “not guilty” plea does not mean you are lying. It simply asserts your constitutional right to require the state to prove its case against you beyond a reasonable doubt.

If you plead guilty at arraignment, you allow the prosecution to skip this step entirely. Do not give up that right without first consulting your attorney. Exercising your rights will not negatively affect your case.

Pretrial Conference

The pretrial conference is a hearing where you (through your attorney) and the prosecutor update the judge on the case’s status. Common updates include:

1. Negotiations are ongoing, and the parties need more time.

2. A plea agreement has been reached.

3. The case will proceed to trial.

Most cases resolve through a plea deal. If you accept a deal, the next (and usually final) step will be a sentencing hearing.

If no agreement is reached, the case will move forward to a trial, where the state must present evidence to prove its case against you.