Prior to a criminal trial, during an arraignment hearing, a defendant has the chance to enter his or her plea. The defendant has three options to plead: guilty, not guilty, or no contest. Understanding the substantial differences between these pleas, and what will happen after, can help inform your criminal defense strategy.
The end of a criminal trial may not mean the end of defendant’s fight to establish his or her innocence. Appealing a trial conviction or appealing a guilty plea to an appeals court in Arizona offers the chance to have the higher court review errors that might have been made at the trial or during the lower court proceedings.
