Court Functions Practice Test

Arraignment is the stage where the defendant first faces the formal charges in court. Its purpose is to notify the defendant of the charges, typically by reading the indictment or information, and to have the defendant enter a plea—guilty, not guilty, or no contest. The judge also reviews the defendant’s right to counsel and may address bail or release conditions. This distinguishes it from other hearings: a motion hearing handles legal requests like suppressing evidence, a sentencing hearing occurs after a conviction to determine punishment, and a status conference focuses on scheduling and case management. So the event defined by informing the defendant of charges and having them enter a plea is an arraignment.