§ 22-3406 Time to prepare for trial.

After a defendant is formally charged in court (arraignment), they have the right to enough time to get ready for trial. This means the defense cannot be rushed into trial before they have a fair chance to review evidence, talk to witnesses, and build their case.

What counts as "reasonable time" isn't a set number of days. It depends on things like how complicated the case is, how much evidence there is, and whether the defense needs to track down witnesses or experts. A simple case might need only a short delay, while a complex case with lots of evidence could take much longer to prepare for.

If a judge tries to push a case to trial too quickly, the defense can ask for more time and point to this rule. Courts generally take this seriously because a fair trial depends on both sides having a real chance to prepare, not just the prosecution.