ARRAIGNMENT, a law term, properly denoting the calling of a person to answer in form of law upon an indictment. After a true bill has been found against a prisoner by the grand jury, he is called by name to the bar, the indictment is read over to him, and he is asked whether he be guilty or not of the offence charged. This is the arraignment. His plea in answer to the charge is then entered, or a plea of not guilty is entered for him if he stands mute of malice and refuses to plead. If a person is mute by the visitation of God, i.e., deaf and dumb, it will be no bar to an arraignment, provided he is sane and intelligence can be con veyed to him by signs or symbols. The arraignment is complete when the accused has pleaded.