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Is This An Arraignment Or A Preliminary Hearing?

It can be a very confusing time when you have been charged with a crime. Most people won’t even know what happens next when sitting in a jail cell. You must get a criminal lawyer for yourself before you are brought before a judge.  Learn information about Fort Lauderdale, FL .

Hearings

When you hire your private criminal lawyer, they will explain all the legal terminology to you, knowing what is going on.  The preliminary hearing and the arraignment will happen before you go to trial. Discover facts about What A Criminal Lawyer Can Do.

Probable Cause 

The main difference between the preliminary hearing and the arraignment is what happens at each kind of hearing.  At the preliminary hearing, the judge decides if they have enough evidence to take you to trial.  This is called probable cause.   

Arraignment

Your criminal lawyer will explain that you have the constitutional right to skip the preliminary hearing and go straight to arraignment. Sometimes the arraignment happens immediately after the preliminary hearing.  You will plead guilty, not guilty, or no contest at the arraignment.  Again, your criminal lawyer will advise you on what to do.  It removes a great deal of stress to have a criminal lawyer standing up with you who knows what is going on.