South Brunswick NJ Arraignment Lawyers
A critical stage of any municipal court or Middlesex County Superior Court case is the arraignment. Having proper representation from an experienced lawyer is pivotal at this stage of the criminal process whether you have been charged with distribution of CDS (e.g. marijuana, heroin, cocaine or prescription drugs), endangering the welfare of a child, possession of an illegal handgun, robbery. The attorneys at our firm, The Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall, handle arraignment and initial appearances for clients throughout Middlesex County including East Brunswick, Edison, Carteret, and Metuchen. Our experienced South Brunswick NJ Arraignment Lawyers include several former prosecutors and a team with over a century in practice. To speak to an attorney in our New Brunswick Office immediately, call 732-246-7126 for a free consultation.
What You Need To Know About Your Arraignment
Arraignment is a formal court hearing where a defendant is read the charges against him or her. This hearing represents the initial appearance in a case involving a disorderly persons offense or traffic violation in a municipal court. When the charge is a first degree, second degree, third degree or fourth degree crime, arraignment usually takes place within two weeks of a defendant being indicted. At this proceeding, the content of the indictment is read to the defendant and a plea of guilty or not guilty must be entered. Bail is also typically reviewed by the court at this time.
Court Rule 7:6-1 outlines how arraignments are to be conducted in New Jersey. This rules provides that:
Conduct of Arraignment. Except as otherwise provided by paragraph (b) of this rule, the arraignment shall be conducted in open court and shall consist of reading the complaint to the defendant or stating to the defendant the substance of the charge and calling upon the defendant, after being given a copy of the complaint, to plead thereto. The defendant may waive the reading of the complaint.
Written Statement. A defendant who is represented by an attorney and desires to plead not guilty may do so, unless the court otherwise orders, by the filing, at or before the time fixed for arraignment, of a written statement, signed by the attorney, certifying that the defendant has received a copy of the complaint and has read it or the attorney has read it and explained it to the defendant, that the defendant understands the substance of the charge, and that the defendant pleads not guilty to the charge.
The Middlesex County Criminal Division also has occasion to conduct pre-indictment hearings. A defendant is typically extended a plea offer at this proceeding. If the plea is accepted, a waiver of indictment must be executed, the defendant arraigned, and a plea to an accusation entered.
New Brunswick NJ Arraignment Defense Attorneys
Given that we have the largest criminal defense team in Middlesex County and are located directly across from the county courthouse in New Brunswick, it is not surprising that our defense attorneys handle many arraignment hearings. This proceeding covers charges filed anywhere in the county, including Plainsboro, South Plainfield, Milltown, Monroe and Cranbury. To speak to a lawyer at The Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall about an upcoming arraignment, call us at 732-246-7126.
