No, although some defendants hire attorneys before the arraignment. An attorney may be able to answer questions you have that the court cannot. If you are not able to hire an attorney before arraignment, an attorney can still appear in the case later. If you are not able to afford an attorney, you may request that the judge appoint an attorney to represent you during the arraignment.
What happens at arraignment?
Arraignments are the hearings that basically start a criminal case. It depends on the court and the case, but these are things that generally happen at arraignment:
The judge tells all of the defendants about their rights in court
The judge determines whether probable cause exists so that the case may continue
Either the judge or the prosecutor will read the charge or charges to each defendant
The judge asks whether each defendant has an attorney, and appoints one to represent the defendant if requested and appropriate
The judge sets conditions of release from custody – the conditions may include bail, periodic check-ins with a court-designated monitor, no contact with certain persons, not leaving Kitsap County, not possessing or using alcohol or controlled substances, not possessing weapons, not committing new offenses, and others
The judge will set a new court date or dates
Often, the court determines that probable cause exists before the arraignment, so that may not be a part of the arraignment hearing.
