Legal Question in Criminal Law in Washington

Re: Class C Misdemeanor

When you receive your citation, the citation will give you a date and time for a court hearing. This hearing will be your arraignment. At this hearing, you will be asked to enter a plea of either "guilty" or "not guilty." I always advise clients to enter a "not guilty" plea because since this is a criminal action (NOT CIVIL), the state or city has the burden of proving that you committed the crime. An attorney should look at the evidence (usually the police report) and see whether there is a strong or weak case against you and then make a decision how to resolve your case. In misdemeanor cases, a guilty plea is not always how cases are resolved even if you are guilty. If you enter a guilty plea, this will go on your criminal record and affect your life in many ways, such as when you apply for housing or employment. At your arraignment, listen very carefully to the Judge. He will advise you of your rights and if you cannot afford an attorney, you can apply to have an attorney appointed to represent you. Most of the time, this means go to the court clerk and fill out an application to see if you qualify for a public defender.