Your pretrial hearing is scheduled at the time of your arraignment. By this time, your attorney has thoroughly reviewed the “discovery” or police reports in your case. The purpose of the pretrial hearing is to give the prosecutor and your attorney an opportunity to discuss the case and make sure that the prosecutor has provided all of the necessary information. Plea bargains can be discussed at this time as well.

Very often, your pretrial hearing will be continued to another date. There can be many reasons to continue your pretrial hearing. Typically, an attorney will continue a pretrial hearing to obtain additional information such as missing police reports, medical evidence, police video tapes, interview witnesses, obtain alcohol evaluations, complete the defense investigation or to continue negotiations.

If a continuance is not needed in your case and there is no plea bargain is reached in your case, the next hearing is your motions hearing.