Rule 20 Felony Arraignment

Felony Arraignment

(A) Arraignment of felony cases will be heard in courtroom #3, 9:00 a.m., Monday through Friday. Custody cases will be arraigned first. The court shall set bail, grant a continuance if requested, accept waiver of preliminary examination if offered, or assign a date and time mutually convenient and within time limits for a preliminary examination, or enter a nolle prosequi at the request of the prosecutor.

(B) When in session on Saturdays, as set forth in Local Rule 2, “Court Sessions,” the felony arraignment session shall be merged with the misdemeanor session to be heard in courtroom #4, but no preliminary examinations shall be held.

(C) When a defendant is charged with more than one violation, including a felony, all matters related to the felony, including misdemeanors, shall be handled by the felony judge. All matters unrelated to the felony, including unassigned traffic, criminal cases, and unrelated bench warrants, may be brought before the judge of the misdemeanor session in courtroom #4.

(D) No defendant who has posted satisfactory bail in the municipal court or the court of common pleas on a felony charge shall be held in custody to answer for contemporaneously filed misdemeanor charges.