When a preliminary hearing is not required
The preparation of a criminal case for a court hearing is carried out without sending the case to jurisdiction or a preliminary hearing when there is no reason for this. The judge appoints a court hearing, the date, time and place of which the parties are informed 5 days in advance.
For the defendant, the appointment of a hearing means the loss of the right to request a trial by either a jury or a panel of three judges, or a preliminary hearing.
Persons named in the court order are summoned to court by order of the judge. The case begins:
- no earlier than a week after the defendant is served with copies of the indictment documents;
- no later than two weeks after the judge makes a decision to schedule a court hearing.
In cases that the court considers with the participation of jurors, this period is 30 days.
