Inside Arraignment Trials: DC Superior Court

By: Grace Lohr

The Arraignment Process

Inside the many ominous-looking buildings surrounding Judiciary Square, an inner working of court systems reside, each serving their own purpose. In the Criminal Division of the DC Superior Court, judges preside over all issues from traffic violations to arrests. However, before a judicial decision can be made, another process must occur. In these criminal cases, specifically for misdemeanors, that process is arraignment.

The arraignment process serves multiple purposes as explained by the District of Columbia Courts: firstly, the court informs the defendant of the charges against them, then the court makes decisions on whether the defendant can be released, imposes restrictions upon that release, and gives the defendant a time to attend court for their trial (DC Courts). According to the U.S. Department of Justice, “in many cases, the law allows the defendant to be released from prison before a trial if they meet the requirements for bail” (U.S. DOJ). In this case, the arraignment would serve to determine if the defendant meets the requirements for bail. If the defendant does not meet the requirements for bail, decided upon by the judge based on evidence presented, they would then be held to await their trial. In either case, arraignment is the defendant's first appearance for their charge, determining the next steps in their journey through the system.

November 8, 2025

On November 8, 2025, I attended and observed arraignment at the Superior Court of DC, held in the Moultrie Courthouse, courtroom C-10. For the hour and a half that I watched these arraignments, the courts moved as fast as they could through an estimated 20 or 30 defendants, referred to as “Lock Ups.” Throughout the process, one prosecutor represented the prosecution in all of the cases, reading and explaining the charges from each defendant’s files aloud to the courtroom. Around four different defense attorneys took turns representing the different defendants.

The courtroom actors all moved mechanically and intentionally; the U.S. marshals ushered a shackled defendant to the center stage, the judge asked for their name, the Court Clerk read them their rights, and the defense attorney placed a piece of paper into their hands. On several occasions, the defense attorneys pointed to a lack of probable cause as to why their defendants should still be eligible for bail. Though the charges ranged from marijuana possession and violation of stay away orders to strangulation and child endangerment, the judge only decided to hold around three of the ‘Lock Ups’ to await their trials. All the others, she released on their “personal promise to return to court” and with a new understanding of their stay away orders. As the court clerk reminded the defendants systematically at the end of each trial, failure to appear at their selected date could result in fines of up to $1,000, 180 days in jail, or both. 

For me, the most impactful part of witnessing this in person was being able to recognize the treatment of the defendants in each of these cases. In a system where individuals are supposed to be innocent until proven guilty, it seemed that these defendants were already assumed guilty and trying to prove their innocence. Even with their families present in the audience, the defendants were heavily monitored, with thick chains hanging from their handcuffs and wrapped all around their bodies, also tying their feet. They were yelled at by their own defense lawyers and ushered impatiently by the U.S. marshals who were mostly worried about moving the issues along as fast as possible. This experience offered a lens into how the fast-paced nature of our criminal justice system affects the defendants and demonstrates that, to participate in criminal defense, one must be prepared, flexible, and incredibly hardworking.

References

“Arraignment.” Arraignment | District of Columbia Courts, District of Columbia Courts, www.dccourts.gov/services/criminal-matters/arraignment.. 

“Initial Hearing / Arraignment.” U.S. Attorneys | Initial Hearing / Arraignment | United States Department of Justice, U.S. DOJ, 12 May 2023, www.justice.gov/usao/justice-101/initial-hearing.