Plural of arraignment; formal hearings where a defendant is charged and required to plead guilty or not guilty before a court.
From Old French 'arainement', from 'arainier' (to arraign). The word entered English legal terminology in the medieval period and remains a cornerstone of common law procedure.
Arraignments are so routine in modern courts that they process thousands daily, yet they remain one of the most legally consequential moments in a person's life—it's where you officially enter the criminal justice system and your plea becomes part of the public record.
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