This post talks about pretrial conferences in justice courts and city courts – courts that handle misdemeanor cases. This is not a post about felony pretrial conferences that occur in Superior Court. A pretrial conference (often referred to as a “PTC”) is the next court date in a criminal case after the arraignment. A PTC is typically an informal meeting … Read More
Criminal Defense Procedure: The Difference Between Guilty, Not Guilty and No Contest Pleas
There are three possible pleas in a criminal defense case: Not Guilty, Guilty, and No Contest that can be entered at your arraignment. Not Guilty Plea A plea of “Not Guilty” means that the defendant denies guilt, and will require that the prosecutor prove the criminal charges at trial beyond a reasonable doubt. If you enter a plea of “Not … Read More