Clerks may ask defendants who appear in their office for a plea to determine how to process the defendant's case.

• A. False
• B. True
• C. It depends on the clerk's discretion
• D. Clerks must always process without asking

Answer: (A)

The essential idea is that decisions about pleas and how a case will move forward are made in the court, not by the clerk’s office. A clerk can provide information, schedule appearances, and handle paperwork, but a defendant’s plea (guilty, not guilty, or no contest) is entered in open court and approved or rejected by a judge. Therefore, asking a defendant in the clerk’s office to plead in order to determine how the case will be processed bypasses the court’s role and isn’t permitted. The clerk remains an administrative support to the court, while the judge governs the actual plea and disposition.