Criminal Justice SDC Practice Test

Entering a plea happens at arraignment. After charges are filed and the defendant is processed, the court formally informs them of the charges and asks for a response. This is when the defendant may plead guilty, not guilty, or, in some cases, no contest, and it often sets the stage for possible plea negotiations. Booking is just the arrest processing, preliminary hearings focus on probable cause, and trials are where the case is decided on the evidence.