What is an Arraignment in Utah?
An arraignment is part of the misdemeanor and felony court process in Utah. Although it happens at difference stages in the process depending on whether the case is in Justice Court or District Court, the purpose is the same: to inform you of the charges against you and to accept a plea. The court will first inform you of the charges against you by reading the Information. You have a right to hear the charges against you or you can waive the reading of the information. An arraignment is a usually a very short hearing.
You generally have three options for the plea you can enter at an Arraignment: Guilty, No Contest, or Not Guilty. If you plead Guilty or No Contest the judge can proceed with sentencing. If you plead Not Guilty the judge will then schedule you to come back at another time for a pretrial conference.