Louisiana Code of Criminal Procedure 551 – Arraignment of defendant
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Terms Used In Louisiana Code of Criminal Procedure 551
- Arraignment: A proceeding in which an individual who is accused of committing a crime is brought into court, told of the charges, and asked to plead guilty or not guilty.
- Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
- Indictment: The formal charge issued by a grand jury stating that there is enough evidence that the defendant committed the crime to justify having a trial; it is used primarily for felonies.
- Plea: In a criminal case, the defendant's statement pleading "guilty" or "not guilty" in answer to the charges, a declaration made in open court.
A. The arraignment consists of the reading of the indictment to the defendant by the clerk in open court, and the court calling upon the defendant to plead. Reading of the indictment may be waived by the defendant at the discretion and with the permission of the court. The arraignment and the defendant’s plea shall be entered in the minutes of the court and shall constitute a part of the record.
B. The court may, by local rule, provide for the defendant’s appearance at the arraignment and the entry of his plea by way of simultaneous transmission through audio-visual electronic equipment.
Acts 1990, No. 543, §1; Acts 1990, No. 593, §1; Acts 2017, No. 406, §1; Acts 2020, No. 160, §1.