If someone you know has been arrested in Port Huron, the first step is the booking process, which may include having a picture and fingerprints taken, having potentially dangerous items taken away, and various other basic formalities. The next step is the arraignment, which is the defendant’s first appearance in court. There are several things you can expect during an arraignment, which is quite often a very brief hearing.
What You Can Expect During an Arraignment
The main purpose of an arraignment is to inform the defendant of the exact charges, as well as state the charges for the record.
By law, an arraignment must be held within 72 hours after an arrest, which helps to ensure that someone is not in jail for longer than necessary without action being taken. Arraignments occur for both felonies and misdemeanors.
Arraignments may be held in person at the St. Clair County Courthouse in Port Huron or by video, which is often the case during weekend arraignments.
Other steps you can expect during an arraignment include the reading of a defendant’s constitutional rights, the entry of a defendant’s plea of guilty or not guilty, and the setting of the bail agreement.
In addition to a bail amount, a bail agreement may include restrictions such as forbidding the defendant from seeing a certain person. The bail amount is based on a variety of factors, including:
- The type and severity of the alleged crime
- The individual’s criminal history
- Public safety
- The possibility that the defendant will not return to court
While the bail amount cannot be excessive, it can be denied, especially if the defendant may be a flight risk or a danger to themselves or others.
Especially in the case of felonies, the next step after the arraignment is a preliminary examination of the evidence against the defendant. The preliminary examination should be held within 14 days after the arraignment.
Contact Us for More Information
For more specific information about what you can expect during an arraignment in St. Clair County in your case, contact our Port Huron area bail bondsman online, by phone at (810) 605-5555, or by email at info@bailbondsporthuron.com.
Tags: Arraignment Facts, bail bonds, Port Huron Jail, St. Clair County Courthouse