If you have hired a private lawyer, the two of you likely will have discussed how you should plead at the arraignment. If a public defender is appointed to you on the spot, you may discuss your options with the public defender for a few minutes and enter a plea immediately. In other instances, depending on the complexity of your case, your public defender may request a continuance, or delay, so that the two of you can confer in more depth. If for whatever reason you find yourself at an arraignment without legal representation, you should generally plead not guilty and ask the judge for a continuance so that you may hire, and consult with, an attorney. Making a plea Of course, you can simply plead guilty at the arraignment.
Some defendants even take advantage of it.
This type of situation often arises when minimal jail time is at stake and continued interaction with the court would prove inconvenient. The defendant would just as soon do the time and get on with his life than take part in a number of lengthy trips from his hometown to the location where the crime occurred. The arraignment's conclusion depends on the plea. If you plead not guilty, the judge will probably set the date for a trial or preliminary hearing. Work with an experienced lawyer in your state.