Guilty Plea Process

244 Words1 Pages
The steps in entering a guilty plea is extremely important and the offender must understand the consequences of pleading guilty to a case. The Unites States Supreme Court has held that a guilty plea constitutes a conviction. The Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure require judges to inform the defendant of the various rights he or she is surrendering by pleading guilty. Additionally, entering a guilty plea must be voluntary and not forced or result of any promises. There must be a factual basis to make sufficient inquiry for the plea. The process a case moves through the justice system is an arrest, the initial appearance, the preliminary hearing, the arraignment, and the trial. Immediately after a defendant is brought into court during an arraignment