Should I request a preliminary hearing?

by Craig M. Sturm on Nov. 02, 2020

Criminal Criminal  Misdemeanor Criminal  Felony 

Summary: Contrary to popular belief it is better to fight your case.

If you fail to request a Preliminary Hearing, you are basically admitting guilt before the case even moves to a trial. Contest the charges, cross-examine the Police Officer and create the tone early-on that you are innocent of the charges and that you will do everything in your power to clear your name. The Preliminary Hearing is an outstanding way to gain knowledge on the case and gives your lawyer time to gather evidence, re-test existing evidence and develop a defense case. 

Legal Articles Additional Disclaimer

Lawyer.com is not a law firm and does not offer legal advice. Content posted on Lawyer.com is the sole responsibility of the person from whom such content originated and is not reviewed or commented on by Lawyer.com. The application of law to any set of facts is a highly specialized skill, practiced by lawyers and often dependent on jurisdiction. Content on the site of a legal nature may or may not be accurate for a particular state or jurisdiction and may largely depend on specific circumstances surrounding individual cases, which may or may not be consistent with your circumstances or may no longer be up-to-date to the extent that laws have changed since posting. Legal articles therefore are for review as general research and for use in helping to gauge a lawyer's expertise on a matter. If you are seeking specific legal advice, Lawyer.com recommends that you contact a lawyer to review your specific issues. See Lawyer.com's full Terms of Use for more information.