A plea of not guilty means that you are informing the Court that you deny guilt and that the State must prove its charges against you. If you plead not guilty your case will be scheduled for the next available pre-trial hearing. You will need to decide whether you want a
bench trial (trial by Judge) or a
trial by jury (6 members of your peers). You will also need to decide whether to retain an attorney to represent you at trial. Only you or a licensed attorney may defend a case in court. The Court does not appoint attorneys.
A plea of not guilty must be made in writing or in person and submitted to the Court prior to the expiration of the 22-day period.