When a person is arrested on the charges of driving while intoxicated with drug or alcohol in Atlanta, the first step is arraignment, where the defendant has to appear in a court hearing. It is important to note that the procedure of arraignment starts only after the charges have been filed officially. It means the case may be handled more efficiently if you hire an expert Atlanta dwi attorney much before the official filing of charges. You will need your lawyer at the arraignment also if it cannot be avoided. In the court, you will be asked to explain how you are going to plead to the charges. Your lawyer will try to get the case resolved right at this stage, but if the offence is very serious, the court may push the case for preliminary hearing and trial.