During what phase of the criminal justice process is the felony defendant formally accused of a crime and called upon to enter a plea?

The phase of the criminal justice process where a felony defendant is formally accused of a crime and asked to enter a plea is known as arraignment. During this critical stage, the defendant appears before the court, and the charges against them are read aloud. This allows the defendant to understand the nature of the accusations. The primary purpose of this phase is to ensure that the defendant knows the charges they are facing and to provide them the opportunity to enter a plea—typically guilty, not guilty, or no contest.

At this point, the defendant also has the opportunity to seek legal representation and address any bail considerations. This formal acknowledgment of charges and responsiveness lays the groundwork for the subsequent steps in the criminal justice process, such as trial or plea bargaining.

The other phases mentioned, such as trial and sentencing, occur later in the process. A preliminary hearing is focused on determining whether there is enough evidence to proceed with charges, rather than formally accusing the defendant and entering a plea.