State Ex Rel. McLetchie v. Laconia District Court

Since the complaint charged the defendant Fielders with an offense beyond the jurisdiction of the Laconia district court to try, its jurisdiction was limited to binding the defendant over to the Superior Court pending action by the grand jury. RSA 502-A:ll, 13 (supp). In such case the statute provides that the defendant shall be committed “if just cause appears . . . to hold the accused to answer at the superior court ...” for an offense not bailable by the justice. RSA 596:7.

The purpose of the preliminary hearing is to determine that an offense has been committed and that there is probable…