When you or a loved one are accused of a crime in Pennsylvania, you may have questions about the arraignment process. While uncertainty and fear may have you skeptical of seeking legal help, having a trusted criminal defense attorney on your side can make all the difference in the Pennsylvania Arraignment Process.
The Pennsylvania Criminal Process
After an arrest, it is important to remember your constitutional right to remain silent and have an attorney present. After the arrest, the case moves to the District Court.
Preliminary Arraignment
Following the arrest is the preliminary arraignment. This is when the court reads the specific charges being filed against you. This portion is relatively fast depending on the charge and is how the court establishes bail; this happens within two days of the arrest.
The Magisterial District judge will gather your personal information and give you the opportunity to reduce your bail. This is due to the Bail Reform Act. This act gives a defendant the right to request a hearing to reduce bail based upon the case and other personal details.
If facing serious charges, a lawyer will improve your ability to reduce bail and reduce a sentence.
Posting Bail
After the bail amount is set, it is the hope that someone will post bail to keep you out of jail during the trial. If you have a criminal defense attorney, you may even have bail reduced or eliminated. An attorney can convince the court to reduce your bail with evidence based on:
- Character references
- Community support
- Employment
Forms of posting bail include:
- Unsecured Bail: If you are deemed not a risk to the public, you may be released as long as you attend your next court hearing.
- Cash Bail by Defendant: Be it you or your family, if you should have the resources to post your own bail, you can do so at this point, and at the conclusion of the case, you should receive that money back.
- Surety Bond Through Bondsman: When bail is high, you may hire someone to post bail for you, under the understanding that you must pay them a percentage of the bail at the conclusion.
At this point, you will prepare for the preliminary hearing with or without an attorney.
Post-Arraignment
At the post-arraignment stage, you will need two things:
- Legal representation
- Questions you and your legal representation want to be answered
Understand all options available to you, and be open to all possibilities. You cannot forget that you are innocent until proven guilty.
Preliminary Hearing
At the preliminary hearing, you will meet with your attorney and the prosecutor. The right attorney can acquire plea bargains and find holes in the prosecution’s case.
It will be imperative that you have a court reporter present to record all testimony at the preliminary hearing. Should the case go further, you will need the testimony to find any flaws in the accusations.
During this time, the Magisterial District Judge will determine if the case is Prima Facie, meaning:
- There is probable cause the crime was committed
- There is probable cause that you in fact committed the crime
At the conclusion, you may enter a plea bargain. This is often less costly than continuing the trial for all parties involved. This can leave you with a shorter sentence.
Court of Common Pleas, Formal Arraignment
If the Magisterial District judge waves your case, it moves to the Common Plea Court. Then your charges are filed by the district attorney into criminal information that factually states the charges. This then becomes the lead document in the filing.
This leads to a formal arraignment. Typically, the court will hear the case before the Court of Common Pleas. Then you are expected to address all information and charges filed. This is also where a plea of guilty or not guilty is listed. You will also receive timelines for the discovery of evidence, pre-trial motions, and all upcoming court dates.
Pre-Trial
You’ve entered your plea and know all information presented to the court. Now, in the pre-trial setting, you have the opportunity to negotiate the terms of the trial or plea. This can include additional hearings that you may or may not need to attend with your attorney.
Then, you will be able to accept a deal including the potential admission into an Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD) Program. The court can motion for more to come to an agreement if everyone needs more time.
Resolution
At the conclusion of the Court of Common Pleas hearings, you can enter an agreement or plead guilty. You can plead guilty with or without a plea agreement.
If you don’t reach an agreement, you will then go to a jury or bench trial. With the right criminal defense attorney, you will walk away as a free person, or with a favorable sentence for your case. But if you represent yourself or have a state-appointed representative, you run the risk of staying behind bars.
However, some rare cases end in dismissal but don’t expect that to happen as it is not the norm.
Sentencing
Whether you enter a guilty plea or are found guilty, you will learn your sentence and your fine if you receive one. A sentence can consist of incarceration, probation, fines, etc. You will also receive your post-sentence rights at the conclusion.
Pennsylvania Arraignment Process: Kalinoski Law Offices
As your legal advocate, Attorney Craig Kalinoski will commit to protecting you in and out of court. Using his knowledge of the community, extensive knowledge of the law, tenacious negotiation skills, and commitment to your thorough trial preparation, he can guide you through the Pennsylvania Arraignment Process.
Attorney Kalinoski will advocate for inclusion in diversionary programs such as the ARD program. Our goal is to achieve the best possible situation so you can put your legal concerns behind you and get on with your life.
If you are in need of a criminal defense attorney, contact the Pennsylvania arraignment professional, Attorney Craig Kalinoski at (570) 207-4000, or use our contact form today to schedule an appointment and discuss your case during a free consultation.