The initial court proceeding in which the accused is criminally charged and is asked how they wish to plead to the charges
It is the defendant’s first formal appearance before the Court. The Court reads the formal charges against the accused and then asks them if they are without counsel and, if so, whether they want to consult with a lawyer before proceeding and whether they will need additional time to obtain counsel.
If the accused has counsel present, the judge will proceed with asking the accused how the defendant wishes to plead, specifically, whether the accused wishes to plead not guilty, guilty, or no contest.
If the criminal defense lawyer is present, they may ask the Court for a brief continuance, so the defense counsel can conduct further investigation on the case in order to better advise their client. This is almost always granted.
