Plea

2.63(1) Plea. At the defendant’s initial appearance, the defendant shall be required to enter a plea to the complaint. Permissible pleas include those allowed when the defendant is indicted as set forth in rule 2.8(2). 2.63(2) Waiver of initial appearance. Unless otherwise ordered by the court, a defendant may waive the initial appearance by executing and filing a written waiver that substantially complies with rule 2.76—Form 5: Waiver of Initial Appearance for Simple Misdemeanors. Thereafter, the May 2025 CRIMINAL PROCEDURE Ch 2, p.79 date of the initial appearance is deemed the date the waiver was filed. A defendant may also waive the initial appearance by filing a written guilty plea or written plea agreement. [66GA, ch 1245(2), §1302; Report November 9, 2001, effective February 15, 2002; Court Order October 14, 2022, effective July 1, 2023]