Rule 18.0 Waiver of Formal Arraignment and Pleas

If you're facing a felony charge (but not one that could result in the death penalty), you don't always have to show up in court in person just to be arraigned and enter a "not guilty" plea. Instead, you and your lawyer can file a written request asking to skip that court appearance.

This written request has to follow a specific format. Louisiana's court rules include a sample form (found in Appendix 18.0) that shows exactly what this request should look like. Your motion needs to match that format closely.

In short, this rule saves defendants a trip to court for a routine step in the process. As long as the paperwork is filed correctly, the case moves forward with a not guilty plea already on record, without requiring an in-person hearing for this particular step.