Is there a difference between an arraignment and a preliminary hearing thing?
At an arraignment, you will appear before a judge who will tell you, officially, what you are charged with. Bail will be set, or possibly reduced if previously established. You may be released on your own recognizance. At a preliminary hearing, the district attorney must establish that probable cause exists to believe a crime was committed and that you committed it. It is a much lower standard of proof than that of beyond a reasonable doubt, which is the standard of proof which must be met at a trial by jury.
