arraignment
noun/əˈɹeɪnmənt/
Etymology From arraign + -ment.
1
Law The formal charging of a defendant with an offense; in many jurisdictions it includes their response in the form of a plea, typically as guilty, not guilty, or no contest.
- This process, Mr. Rothfeld said, could be interrupted at any moment if prosecutors in Los Angeles successfully extradite him for an arraignment on the sexual assault charges there.2020 March 11, Jan Ransom, “Harvey Weinstein’s Stunning Downfall: 23 Years in Prison”, in New York Times:
- […]— the indictment will remain sealed until his expected arraignment on Tuesday, when the charges will be formally revealed.2023 March 30, William K. Rashbaum, “This is what will happen when Trump is arrested in the coming days.”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:
- Derived terms
- nonarraignment, rearraignment
- Related terms
- indictment