Preliminary Hearings in Georgia

In the legal system, when a person has been accused of a crime, there is a crucial step that determines whether or not the case will go to trial. For the most serious offenses, this is determined by a grand jury, but for the majority of charges, this process is handled in a preliminary hearing by a judge.

The preliminary hearing is not about determining guilt or innocence. It is simply about evaluating the evidence. In every legal case, both the prosecution and the defense submit pieces of evidence. This could be witness testimony, physical evidence, video recordings, or really anything else related to the case.  Both sides present their evidence and explain it, though they do not try to convince the judge of innocence or guilt.

The judge will determine if there is enough probable cause that the defendant committed the crime to send the case to a trial. If there is not enough evidence, the case is dismissed and the charges against the defendant are dropped.

Defense At This Crucial Step

The preliminary hearing is one of the most important steps of the criminal system. A good defense attorney will introduce as much compelling evidence as possible to get the charges dropped. 

The team at Wadkins & Wallace knows that many cases have been won in the preliminary hearing phase by preventing the case from going to trial.

If you are facing criminal charges, you need strong legal help. Call us today at (706) 221-9451 to schedule a free review of your case or click here to contact us.