Arraignment is a person’s first court appearance after they are charged with a crime. At the arraignment, a judge will read the charges against the defendant and ask them how they plead (guilty, not guilty, or no contest).

If the defendant pleads guilty, then the judge will set a date for sentencing.

If the defendant pleads no contest, then the judge will record the conviction and set a date for sentencing. This is exactly the same as pleading guilty except the defendant just accepts conviction without technically admitting guilt.

If the defendant pleads not guilty, then the judge will set a date for trial.

If the defendant pleads not guilty, then the judge will also decide whether to release the defendant on bail or keep them in jail until trial. In making that decision, the judge will consider factors such as the defendant’s criminal history, the severity of the charges, and whether the defendant is a flight risk.

If the defendant is released on bail, they will be required to pay a certain amount of money (the bail) to the court. The money will be refunded to the defendant if they appear for all of their court dates. If the defendant fails to appear for a court date, then the money will be forfeited to the court. If the judge decides to release a defendant on bail but the defendant doesn’t have enough money to cover the bail set by the judge, then the defendant might use a bail bond company. A bail bond company will charge the defendant 10% of the bail amount as a non-refundable fee, and in exchange, the company will cover the entire bail amount for the duration of the case.