When Does Arraignment Occur? Arraignment must occur within a reasonable time after arrest. An unreasonable delay violates the defendant's federal constitutional Sixth Amendment right to a speedy trial.

How long before you have to be arraigned?

Despite the Supreme Court ruling that initial appearances that are combined with probable cause hearings must be held within 48 hours of arrest, many jurisdictions provide a 72-hour window for arraignment. This allows for the timely arraignment of defendants nabbed over the weekend.

Where do arraignments occur?

Arraignments. The first stage of court proceedings for any case is usually the arraignment hearing. An arraignment is a defendant's first appearance in front of a judge where he or she is informed of the charges and is asked to enter a plea.