What Happens at a Bexar County Arraignment?

Arraignment in the Bexar County Courts at Law and District Courts

Arraignment in Bexar County is the formal court proceeding at the Cadena-Reeves Justice Center where the charges against you are read and you enter a plea. In both the County Courts at Law (misdemeanor) and District Courts (felony), an attorney will almost always enter a not guilty plea at arraignment, regardless of the ultimate defense strategy. A not guilty plea preserves all options — the case can still resolve through dismissal, plea agreement, or trial. It does not signal intent to contest the charges at trial.

What Happens Before Arraignment

Before arraignment, you will have been through magistration at the Bexar County Jail within 24 to 48 hours of arrest. Bond conditions are set at magistration. For DWI arrests, the 15-day ALR clock is already running at this stage. By the time arraignment occurs, we will already have filed the ALR hearing request, issued footage preservation demands, and begun the Fourth Amendment analysis of the stop.

What the Arraignment Proceeding Involves

At arraignment, the judge or magistrate reads the formal charges as filed by the Bexar County District Attorney’s office. The defendant, through their attorney, enters a plea. The court sets scheduling deadlines for discovery, motions, and the next court date. In misdemeanor cases, the attorney can often waive the defendant’s personal appearance at arraignment — the defendant does not need to appear in court for this proceeding.

After Arraignment — Discovery and Motion Practice

After arraignment, the case moves through discovery. The Bexar County DA’s office provides the defense with SAPD reports, dashcam and bodycam footage, breath or blood test results, and all other evidence. We review everything in the file for Fourth Amendment violations, Intoxilyzer 9000 maintenance problems, inconsistencies between officer reports and video, and Bexar County Crime Lab chain of custody issues. This review forms the basis of the suppression motion and the overall defense strategy.

Felony Arraignment — After Grand Jury Indictment

For felony cases, arraignment in Bexar County District Court occurs after grand jury indictment, typically 90 to 120 days after arrest. The same procedure applies — not guilty plea entered to preserve all options. Felony arraignment at Cadena-Reeves is followed by a pre-trial schedule that typically includes motions hearings, suppression hearings, and ultimately plea or trial. See our San Antonio criminal defense page.