The formal reading of charges against a suspect in court is called

The formal reading of charges against a suspect in court is called

• A. Indictment
• B. Arraignment
• C. Petition
• D. Docket

Answer: (B)

Arraignment is the stage in criminal procedure where a suspect is informed of the charges in open court and asked to enter a plea. This is the formal reading of the charges to the defendant and sets up how the case will proceed. An indictment is a formal charging document issued by a grand jury (or an information in some jurisdictions) that begins the process, but it is not the act of reading the charges to the defendant in court. A petition is simply a request to the court for action, not the charging of a crime. A docket is the court’s calendar of cases, not the charging procedure. So, the formal reading of charges in court is arraignment.

Arraignment is the stage in criminal procedure where a suspect is informed of the charges in open court and asked to enter a plea. This is the formal reading of the charges to the defendant and sets up how the case will proceed. An indictment is a formal charging document issued by a grand jury (or an information in some jurisdictions) that begins the process, but it is not the act of reading the charges to the defendant in court. A petition is simply a request to the court for action, not the charging of a crime. A docket is the court’s calendar of cases, not the charging procedure. So, the formal reading of charges in court is arraignment.