What is the purpose of a preliminary hearing?

What is the purpose of a preliminary hearing?

• A. To finalize sentencing
• B. To determine if a case should proceed to grand jury
• C. To set bail amounts
• D. To decide on pretrial motions

Answer: (B)

The purpose of a preliminary hearing is to assess whether there is sufficient evidence to justify proceeding with a criminal case, often leading to a grand jury. During this hearing, the court evaluates the prosecution's evidence against the defendant, determining if probable cause exists to support the charges. This serves as a safeguard against unfounded charges and ensures that cases with insufficient evidence do not proceed further in the criminal justice system. While the other options may pertain to different aspects of the legal process, they do not accurately represent the primary function of a preliminary hearing, which focuses specifically on the viability of moving the case forward. Finalizing sentencing occurs after a conviction, setting bail amounts is typically done during arraignment or a separate bail hearing, and decisions on pretrial motions happen in different procedural contexts related to various legal arguments before trial.

The purpose of a preliminary hearing is to assess whether there is sufficient evidence to justify proceeding with a criminal case, often leading to a grand jury. During this hearing, the court evaluates the prosecution's evidence against the defendant, determining if probable cause exists to support the charges. This serves as a safeguard against unfounded charges and ensures that cases with insufficient evidence do not proceed further in the criminal justice system.

While the other options may pertain to different aspects of the legal process, they do not accurately represent the primary function of a preliminary hearing, which focuses specifically on the viability of moving the case forward. Finalizing sentencing occurs after a conviction, setting bail amounts is typically done during arraignment or a separate bail hearing, and decisions on pretrial motions happen in different procedural contexts related to various legal arguments before trial.