If you were arrested in New York City, you will arraigned within approximately 24 hours of your arrest. In Westchester and Long Island, you will most likely be given a summons to return to court within 30 days. You should try to retain an attorney by then. The arraignment is primarily to advise you of your rights and enter a plea of not guilty.
At your arraignment, if you have no prior warrant record and strong ties to the community you may be released without bail. It is important to not resolve a case at arraignment because you may not be fully aware of the impacts of a guilty plea until you have spoken at length with an attorney. For example, if you need to travel to Canada or even rent a car, you may have problems for several years after pleading guilty. You may also experience various employment problems.
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