United States criminal procedure

type of legal case that precedes a trial

thumb|Arraignment at the Ministries trial|Ministries Trial, 20 December 1947 Arraignment is a formal reading of a criminal charging document in the presence of the defendant, to inform them of the criminal charges against them. In response to arraignment, in some jurisdictions, the accused is expected to enter a plea; in other jurisdictions, no plea is required. Acceptable pleas vary among jurisdictions, but they generally include guilty, not guilty, and the peremptory pleas (pleas in bar) setting out reasons why a trial cannot proceed. Pleas of nolo contendere ('no contest') and the Alford pl