What is the difference between a preliminary hearing and an arraignment?
Arraignments are formal hearings where criminal complaints are officially registered before a judge. Judges read the charges against the defendant, and the defendant then has the opportunity to plead guilty or not guilty. Arraignments are often the first official step of a criminal case. Preliminary hearings are legal proceedings where a judge reviews the evidence on hand to determine whether your case can be tried in a court of law. Rules related to evidence are more relaxed—hearsay is allowed—and the prosecution must establish there is probable cause to believe that a crime was committed and you committed it. Grand juries are not involved. As a criminal law attorney in Fairfax, Mr. Hicks can represent you in preliminary hearings and arraignments for any local, state, and federal criminal charges.
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