Court Appearance FAQs

Check Out The Court Appearance FAQs By Houston Criminal Defense Attorney Ed Chernoff and Contact Him For a Confidential Consultation About Your Criminal Defense Matter in Texas Today

What Can I Expect On My First Criminal Court Appearance

The first appearance is your criminal lawyer’s opportunity to file notice of representation and start to collect discovery. Your case will be set to another date and the most difficult thing you will have to face on your first appearance is signing a reset form.

You should expect more than one uneventful appearance in criminal court. Your criminal lawyer will need to accumulate the evidence in the possession of the prosecutors and investigate your defenses. Motions may have to be filed if there are disagreements about the discovery provided or your criminal lawyer believes that certain evidence should be suppressed.

Arraignment In Federal Court

When a Federal Magistrate arraigns a defendant, he simply informs him of what he has been charged and the potential range of punishment. The Magistrate will ask the accused how he pleads to the charge, but this is just a formality. For various reasons, nobody can successfully plead guilty at an arraignment in Federal Court. The Magistrate will note a Not-Guilty plea and issue a docket control order, assigning the case to a District Court.

Reviews Matter

★

"Ed Chernoff is truly an amazing lawyer and person. He was able to get my felony charge DISMISSED by the Grand Jury in only 2 weeks! Thank you Mr. Chernoff for being the very best you could be and for helping so many others like me. You are a blessing."

- Reggie Kerr

★

"Mr. Chernoff was adamant about not having me plead guilty to my case and was able to completely wipe my record of the incident. Ed was very prompt, professional, and excellent at explaining where we were in the process and what to expect. I highly recommend him. He is an excellent lawyer."

- Jeff Stautner

★

"I could not have made a better decision in hiring Ed. He put my fears at ease and helped me get my case dismissed and my life back on track. I would highly recommend hiring Ed and letting him do the same for you."

- Jordan Charles

★

"I don’t have the words to express how grateful we are for Mr. Chernoff and his team. They always kept us updated and were available for any questions we had. They were able to obtain the best possible outcome. I would definitely use him again and highly recommend him."

- Susan Purdy

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