Clive Boustred says the trap is the plea. Say “not guilty,” and you just signed a contract to be prosecuted. Stay silent, demand a citizen-written “verified complaint,” and the case dies.
That is a sales pitch, not law.
Arrest before trial is normal. Probable cause is the bar, not a grand jury and not a trial. The state files the case. A neighbor with a pen is not required. Refuse to plead and the judge enters “not guilty” for you and keeps going. That is a denial, not a contract, not consent, not a magic exit.
The black-robe “high priest” line is theater. Courts have thrown this script out for years. The people who run it in a real courtroom usually leave with the same charges and a worse record.
Real leverage is probable cause, the charging document, counsel, and the rules of that court. Not a copper card.