What is it called when you first go to court?

Misdemeanors. The first step is an initial appearance (often referred to as an arraignment), before a judge of a lower court or magistrate, at which. The charge is read to the defendant, and penalties explained. The defendant is advised of his/her right to trial, and right to trial by jury if desired.

How can you talk to a judge?

How can I speak to the judge on my case? To speak to the judge on your case, you must file a written motion with the court. You cannot write the judge a personal letter or email, and you cannot speak to the judge unless you are in a hearing.

How do you ask to talk to a judge?

Write a letter to a judge as long as you are not in a current case. To start the letter, indicate what the letter is regarding, and identify yourself and your profession. Then, tell the judge what you want and provide reasons why they should grant your request. Don’t forget to address the envelope before you send it.

What happens at a first appearance?

The initial court appearance is usually pretty brief (1-10 minutes). The main actions that occur at the initial appearance are: The judge will provide the defendant with a copy of the criminal complaint. The complaint will list the charge or charges and the maximum possible penalty upon conviction.

How to set a first return court date?

Depending on what you have been charged with, the court may: 1 order the police to serve on you a ‘brief of evidence’ 2 set a court date for another mention (often referred to as a ‘first return’ date) before the actual hearing date 3 ask how many witnesses will give evidence for each side 4 ask how long the hearing might take.

What happens on the first day of court?

The first day you have to go to court is called a ‘mention’. The mention is for the magistrate to find out whether you are pleading guilty or not guilty. At some local courts, you might have to go to a call over before the mention. A call over is before a registrar.

Do you have to go to call over before mention in court?

At some local courts, you might have to go to a call over before the mention. A call over is before a registrar. The registrar will ask if you are ready to plead guilty or not guilty.

How to prepare a statement for the court?

Make sure you sleep on it several times before submitting it to the court. Don’t write it under the influence of drink or drugs. It will seem like your best work; how wrong you will be. Start off by writing a bullet point plan of what you want to tell the Judge.

Can a court lift a no contact order?

It is possible for a court to lift, or change, a no contact order in order to help prevent or alleviate hardship caused to both the victim and the accused. This is happens often in cases of domestic violence when the defendant and the alleged victim may have children and may dependent on each other for personal and financial support.

Can a lawyer appear on the first day of court?

If you hire a lawyer to defend your interests and you sign a document, called a designation of counsel form, which notifies the court that your lawyer can appear in your capacity – the accused person need not miss a day of work, school or any other prior obligation to attend court on the day of their first appearance.

Do you have to be in court for your first appearance?

An accused person is required, by law, to attend this first appearance date in order to be arraigned, or in layman’s terms, to have the charge against them officially stated in open court. However, while it is mandatory to attend your first appearance date, it does not exactly mean that the accused has to physically be in attendance.

What to expect at your first criminal court date?

Whether you are guilty or innocent, being charged with a crime is a scary experience. Getting ready for the first hearing, called arraignment, can be particularly nerve racking. Fortunately, you can ease your anxiety about your first court date by learning exactly what to expect.