From Arrest Through Arraignment
A criminal case begins with arrest, which can happen on a warrant, on probable cause without a warrant, or at a traffic stop. Within 72 hours, the arrestee must be brought before a judge for an initial appearance or first appearance, where they hear charges, are informed of rights, and bail/release conditions are set. The next step varies by severity: for felonies, a preliminary hearing lets the prosecution show probable cause that the accused committed the crime, and if successful, the case binds over to a grand jury (federal and many states) or directly to trial court (other states). Misdemeanors often skip the preliminary hearing and go straight to arraignment.
Arraignment is where the defendant enters a plea (guilty, not guilty, or in some jurisdictions nolo contendere). Most cases resolve at or before this stage: about 94% of federal criminal cases end in guilty pleas, not trials.
Discovery, Plea Negotiation, Trial or Sentencing
After arraignment, discovery begins. The prosecution must disclose exculpatory evidence under Brady v. Maryland and work-product rules. Defense counsel reviews evidence, investigates, and negotiates a plea deal. If no agreement is reached, trial proceeds: the prosecution proves guilt beyond reasonable doubt to a jury (or judge in a bench trial), and the defendant is presumed innocent. If the defendant is found guilty or pleads guilty, sentencing follows, where the judge imposes a sentence within statutory guidelines (sometimes mandatory minimums apply). An appeal challenges legal errors, not factual findings, and can reach appellate courts and in rare cases the state supreme court or US Supreme Court.