In law, a committal procedure is the process by which a defendant is charged with a serious offence under the criminal justice systems of all common law jurisdictions except the United States. The committal procedure, sometimes known as a preliminary hearing, replaces the earlier grand jury process.

What is the main purpose of a committal hearing?

Committal proceedings are court hearings held in the Magistrates' Court to decide whether there is sufficient evidence against an accused person charged with a serious criminal offence to order them to face trial in a higher court.

What do committal hearings determine?

Committals. For more serious charges, a committal (or preliminary) hearing is held in the Local Court to decide whether or not the prosecution has a case to go to trial in a higher court. This is a place to test the prosecution evidence, but generally not to go all out to discredit it.