Outline the typical sequence of criminal procedure from arrest to arraignment.

• A. Arrest/detention, booking, initial appearance, probable cause determination, charging, arraignment, bail decisions, and pretrial/preliminary hearings.
• B. Booking, arraignment, trial.
• C. Arrest, charging, sentencing.
• D. Initial appearance, bail, trial.

Answer: (A)

From arrest to arraignment, the process follows a logical flow from custody to formal notification of charges and the opportunity to respond. After someone is arrested or detained, the first step is booking, where identity, charges, and records are entered and fingerprints or photos may be taken. The next crucial stage is the initial appearance, where the person is brought before a judge to be advised of rights, informed of the charges, and have bail or release determined. A separate but essential step is the probable cause determination, which assesses whether there is enough evidence to justify continued detention or formal charging. Once probable cause is established, the prosecutor reviews the case and files the charging document, leading to arraignment where the defendant is formally informed of the charges and presents a plea. Bail decisions are typically addressed at the initial appearance or promptly after, and while pretrial or preliminary hearings occur after arraignment to resolve evidentiary issues, they are part of the broader process that follows the charges being filed. This sequence best captures the orderly progression through the early stages of criminal procedure.

Other options miss important steps or misplace them—for example, skipping booking or initial appearance, or jumping straight to trial or sentencing—so they don’t reflect the standard order from arrest to arraignment.