The arraignment is your first court appearance in a DUI case. It is short and mostly procedural. The court tells you the exact charges, you enter a plea, and the judge sets bail conditions and future dates. Nobody is deciding guilt or innocence at this stage.
You will usually enter a plea of not guilty. That is not you claiming innocence in some final way. It keeps every option open, gives your lawyer time to get the police reports and evidence, and starts the process of reviewing the case for defenses. Pleading not guilty at arraignment is normal and expected.
The judge also handles a few housekeeping items. Bail or release conditions get confirmed, and the court schedules the next steps, often a pretrial conference. You will receive a copy of the complaint if you have not already.
Here is a detail that relieves a lot of stress. On a misdemeanor DUI in San Diego, your attorney can often appear for you under Penal Code 977, so you may not have to show up in person at all. That matters if you have work, travel, or you simply do not want to stand in a courtroom.
Remember the arraignment is only the court side. Your DMV case runs on its own separate track and its own deadline. Learn about the San Diego DUI court process or whether you have to go to court.
This is general information, not legal advice, and every case is different. Call Crudo Law at (858) 622-7280 or visit /contact for a free, confidential consultation.