arraignment

/əˈreɪnmənt/
noun
  1. A formal court hearing where a person accused of a crime is told the charges and asked to plead guilty or not guilty.
    • She hired a lawyer to represent her at the arraignment.
    • At the arraignment, the judge set bail at $50,000.
    • The defendant's arraignment is scheduled for next Monday.
  2. A strong public criticism or accusation against someone or something.
    • The documentary is an arraignment of the entire political system.
    • His speech served as an arraignment of the government's inaction.
    • The report was a scathing arraignment of the company's safety record.
Antonyms
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