Which stage of the process is designed to determine whether there is enough evidence to bind a defendant over for trial?

• A. Civil proceeding
• B. Indictment
• C. Summary offense
• D. Preliminary hearings

Answer: (D)

Preliminary hearings determine whether there is enough evidence to bind a defendant over for trial. In this stage, a judge reviews the prosecution’s evidence and may hear witnesses; the standard applied is probable cause, which is a lower threshold than what’s needed for a conviction. If probable cause is found, the case proceeds to trial; if not, charges can be dismissed or resolved in another way. This stage is distinct from an indictment, which is a formal charging document, and from civil proceedings or a summary offense, which involve different legal paths and standards.