RULE 10. ARRAIGNMENT(a) Except as provided in Rule 43, before any person is tried for the commission of an offense, the person shall be called into open court and arraigned.
(b) The arraignment shall consist of reading the indictment, presentment or information to the defendant or stating to the defendant the substance of the indictment, presentment or information, and calling on him or her to plead thereto. The defendant shall be given a copy of the indictment, presentment or information before called upon to plead. An entry of record shall be made of the arraignment.
(c) Defendants who are jointly charged may be arraigned separately or together in the discretion of the court.
This rule creates for the first time a formal arraignment procedure in Tennessee, although our courts have generally followed such orderly procedure. The rule applies only to Circuit or Criminal Courts or other criminal courts of record.
The accused must be given a copy of the indictment or presentment before being called upon to plead. A uniform procedure is provided applicable to all cases, and this rule thus satisfies the provision of T.C.A. §40-2008 requiring that an incarcerated defendant in a capital case be provided with a copy of the indictment at least two days before trial.