noun
arraignment
uh-RAYN-muhnt/əˈreɪnmənt/
A court proceeding in which criminal charges are formally presented to an accused person.
At his arraignment, the defendant hears the charges and pleads not guilty.
Etymology
The underlying verb meant addressing people, specifically accusing them in court. The noun names the formal process of calling an accused person to answer a charge—the central purpose of an arraignment.
In context
During his arraignment in Queen's criminal court, prosecutors laid out the charges in stark terms. David Daniel was charged with three counts of murder in the first degree
More examples
- Her arraignment is scheduled for Monday morning.
- The lawyer explains what to expect at the arraignment.
- The judge handles several arraignments before lunch.
Forms
arraignment · arraignments
arraign verb — Formally present criminal charges to a defendant.
Similar words
- hearing
- A broader court proceeding that may address many legal issues.