Following an arrest for any crime, an arraignment hearing is held within 24 hours after your arrest. At this hearing, you will be formally charged with the crime you were arrested for, and you will be asked to plead guilty, not guilty, or no contest. Bail will either be set, no bail allowed, or you will be released on your own recognizance. Having a New York arraignment attorney from H. Benjamin Perez & Associates, P.C. at your side can make the difference in the outcome of your hearing.

The arraignment is the first step in the criminal justice system that you will be taking. If you are unrepresented at this time or are given a public defender, your chances of being allowed to be released until your case goes further into the system could be imperiled. With a successful and skilled attorney from our firm, you can trust that we will do our utmost to protect your freedom.

If the judge sets a certain amount of bail for you to pay in order to be released until your next appearance in court, our firm will help you meet with a bail bondsman to work out how you can obtain the necessary funds to be released on bail. Once that is taken care of, your attorney will schedule the next legal step in your defense.

The arraignment will review the charges against you and your prior record. If the charges appear to be of a serious and violent nature, bail may be set at a high amount for two reasons: to reduce the risk of flight and to prevent the individual from being released on bail if they cannot afford the amount. Individuals with prior convictions may find they are less likely to be granted bail, especially if they are considered a flight risk.