Rule 17.6 Admitting a Prior Conviction

If you are charged with a crime and the prosecution says you have a prior conviction, you may be asked to admit to that record. The court has a specific process it must follow before accepting that admission.

This rule says the judge cannot simply take your word for it in an informal way. There are required steps the court must go through to make sure your admission is valid. The only exception is if you bring up your own prior conviction while testifying on the witness stand during your trial.