Arraignment

An arraignment is referred to as a “sounding” in juvenile court. The sounding for a detained child must be held within 48 hours following the filing of a delinquency petition. A sounding is a hearing at which the judge informs the child of the formal charges in the delinquency petition and, if the child qualifies, appoints the Public Defender. At the sounding, the child typically enters a plea of not guilty and the case is set for an adjudicatory hearing (trial). The adjudicatory hearing is the equivalent of a bench trial in adult court.
 

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