Title 25
SECTION 11.309
11.309 Arraignments.
§ 11.309 Arraignments.(a) Arraignment is the bringing of an accused before the court, informing him or her of his or her rights and of the charge(s) against him or her, receiving the plea, and setting conditions of pretrial release as appropriate in accordance with this part.
(b) Arraignment shall be held in open court without unnecessary delay after the accused is taken into custody and in no instance shall arraignment be later than the next regular session of court.
(c) Before an accused is required to plead to any criminal charges the magistrate shall:
(1) Read the complaint to the accused and determine that he or she understands it and the section(s) of this part that he or she is charged with violating, including the maximum authorized penalty; and
(2) Advise the accused that he or she has the right to remain silent, to be tried by a jury if the offense charged is punishable by imprisonment, to be represented by counsel (which shall be paid for by the government if the accused is indigent) and that the arraignment will be postponed should he or she desire to consult with counsel.
(d) The magistrate shall call upon the defendant to plead to the charge:
(1) If the accused pleads “not guilty” to the charge, the magistrate shall then inform the accused of the trial date and set conditions for release prior to trial.
(2) If the accused pleads “guilty” to the charge, the magistrate shall accept the plea only if he or she is satisfied that the plea is made voluntarily and that the accused understands the consequences of the plea, including the rights waived by the plea. The magistrate may then impose sentence or defer sentencing for a reasonable time in order to obtain any information he or she deems necessary for the imposition of a just sentence. The accused shall be afforded an opportunity to be heard by the court prior to sentencing.
(3) If the accused refuses to plead, the judge shall enter a plea of “not guilty” on his or her behalf.
(e) The court may, in its discretion, allow a defendant to withdraw a plea of guilty if it appears that the interest of justice would be served by doing so.