Magistrate courts conduct which type of hearings?

Magistrate courts primarily conduct preliminary hearings. These hearings are crucial in the criminal justice process as they allow a judge to determine whether there is enough evidence to proceed with a case. During a preliminary hearing, the prosecutor must present sufficient evidence to establish probable cause, indicating that a crime has likely been committed and that the defendant was involved. The defendant has the opportunity to challenge the evidence presented by the prosecution.

This function is integral to protecting the rights of the accused, ensuring that they are not held without just cause before proceeding to trial. While trial hearings occur in higher courts where cases are fully adjudicated, and appellate hearings review decisions made by lower courts, preliminary hearings serve as an important initial step in the judicial process, focusing specifically on the evidence at hand rather than the overall determination of guilt or innocence. General sessions may handle a broader array of criminal cases but are not synonymous with the specific function of preliminary hearings managed by magistrate courts.