Within a few days after being arrested, you will be taken to court. There's a number of ways you can play it. One lady I know decided to practice passive non-resistance. She believed that according to Scripture she should be "dragged" before the courts - not go there voluntarily. This heavy-set woman just sat down on the jail floor when they called her for court. The only way the jailers were going to get her into court, was to pack her. She was in jail for about 20 days, but she never saw the courtroom. Finally, they released her. She held to her convictions until the end.
The courtroom can be in the same building as the jail, or it may be on the other side of town. In that case, inmates may be arraigned using video cameras or transported to the courthouse - chain-gang style. They line you up on the yellow line with all the inmates who are going to court. You are chained together, two-by-two, with a chain going down through the middle. There might be as many as 20 inmates chained together. If it's winter, you'll line up in the freezing cold wearing just those flimsy jail clothes - they don't bother giving you coats. You pile into a van and up and down the hills you go. The chain-gang sways from side to side and those old handcuffs can really pinch.
Finally, you are led into a holding room at the back of the courthouse. You'll either be taken into the courtroom one-by-one, or the whole gang will be led in at once. As your name is called, you are expected to go up to the front of the courtroom to face the judge.
In my situation, I would not recognize the court. When they called out my name, I just sat there. They called my name again and finally one of the deputies recognized that I was the one being called. He grabbed me by the collar and dragged me up to the judge. The Scripture came true - I was dragged before their tribunal. The judge in this particular instance made no comments. He just went on as if nothing had happened.
Another time I was brought before the judge and asked if I understood my rights.
I came right back saying, "I didn't understand a word you said."
"In that case, we'll assign you a public defender and send you back to jail. Have a good day."
That happened so fast I didn't even get to say another word. I missed the opportunity to testify of Our Lord. I had never done this before and I won't do it again. The judge just slipped me right out of there before I could say anymore. They had already seen my record and knew my opinion of the courts. This time the judge was more prepared for me than I was for him.
