Preliminary Hearing – The Trial Before the Trial
If an individual is facing Criminal Defense of a felony, he will undergo what is known as a preliminary hearing. This hearing is usually held soon after an initial appearance and before the trial. The purpose of a preliminary hearing is to be like a “trial before the trial.” This “trial” is set up so that each party can present evidence against the defendant or for the defendant so that the judge can determine whether there is probable cause to proceed with the actual trial. The preliminary hearing is a very important stage in a felony case. With a skilled and experienced attorney, an individual undergoing trial for a felony can have the case dismissed at the preliminary hearing so that the case cannot continue to trial.
What Happens at the Preliminary Hearing
In a preliminary hearing each party presents arguments justified through evidence to the judge. A government attorney, known as the prosecutor, usually does the part of presenting evidence against the defendant and the defendant’s attorney presents evidence contradictory to the prosecutor’s claim. Witnesses may be called to testify by the prosecutor and physical evidence may also be presented in an attempt to convince the judge of his claim. The defense will usually cross-examine the prosecutor’s witnesses and will call into question physical and other evidence that was presented against the defendant in attempt to convince the judge that the evidence is not strong enough. The prosecutor’s goal is to continue to trial, while the defendant’s goal is to have the case dismissed at the preliminary hearing.
Salcido Law Firm’s Criminal Defense Team Can Help You
If you are being charged with a felony get a lawyer who will do all that is possible for your case to be dismissed early. The Utah criminal defense attorneys at Salcido Law Firm have experience that you can have confidence in when it come to your criminal charges. Call 801.413.1753 to schedule a free consultation and speak with one of our attorneys. Let Salcido Law Firm do their job in working to get your felony case dismissed before trial.
