How do grand juries differ from preliminary hearings?

• A. Grand jury determines probable cause for an indictment in felony cases; preliminary hearings decide probable cause for charges in some cases.
• B. Grand juries decide guilt; preliminary hearings determine sentences.
• C. Grand juries file charges; preliminary hearings halt cases.
• D. They are the same.

Answer: (D)

Grand juries and preliminary hearings both serve to check whether there’s enough evidence to move forward with serious charges, but they operate in very different ways. A grand jury is a private, prosecutor-led panel that reviews evidence to decide whether there is probable cause to believe the defendant committed a felony. There’s no judge, and the defense isn’t present in the proceedings; the outcome is an indictment if the jury agrees there’s probable cause. A preliminary hearing is a courtroom proceeding before a judge where both sides can present evidence and witnesses under oath, and the judge decides whether there is probable cause to bind the defendant over for trial. If probable cause is found, the case proceeds; if not, the charges can be dismissed. Jurisdictional practice varies, with some systems relying on grand juries and others on preliminary hearings.