The Legal Process
An arrest without a warrant that results in a court appearance usually lasts 48 hours, not counting weekends and holidays. For example if you are arrested on a Friday, your first court date will most likely not be scheduled until Tuesday. Any holidays would increase the delay between your arrest and your first court date. Your first court date will most likely be an arraignment. This is where you are officially informed of the nature of your charges and given a copy of the complaint against you. You are then given the opportunity to enter a plea. Depending on whether the case is filed as a misdemeanor or a felony, the court date to follow will be either a pre-trial hearing for preparation of trial or a preliminary hearing to determine if there is sufficient evidence to go on to trial. If the case is not resolved by this point, ultimately a trial will begin.
Representation by an attorney is vital at any of these court dates if you are to ensure that your rights are protected.
Legal Disclaimer: Octavio Chaidez provides information on this website as a source of useful information for the public. While the information on this website is about legal issues, it is not legal advice or legal representation. Because of the rapidly changing nature of the law and the need to rely on outside sources of information, Octavio Chaidez makes no warranty or guarantee of the accuracy or reliability of information contained herein.