About the Criminal Court Process
The criminal court process begins when a victim is referred to Tubman. Referrals are most commonly made through the police. Legal advocates also watch the court calendars looking for cases involving victims of domestic abuse. Following an incident, the police provide the incident report to Tubman so our advocates can understand what happened and what specific charges have been filed. After general information is gathered, an advocate will contact you and explain what happens in criminal court, how a “no contact” order works, and how the advocate may be able to help you.
The length of time spent on the case varies from person to person. If you call in a complaint to the police, the police have 72 hours to take the perpetrator into custody. After 72 hours, the perpetrator is issued a citation. If a perpetrator is taken into custody, the arraignment is held within 36 hours. If a citation is issued, it could be up to a month before the arraignment. It usually takes four weeks from the arraignment to the pre-trial, and another two to four months for a jury trial.
