Colorado § 18-1-404 - Preliminary hearing or waiver - dispositional hearing.

§ 18-1-404. Preliminary hearing or waiver - dispositional hearing.

(1) Every person accused of a class 1, 2, or 3 felony or level 1 or level 2 drug felony by direct information or felony complaint has the right to demand and receive a preliminary hearing within a reasonable time to determine whether probable cause exists to believe that the offense charged in the information has been committed by the defendant. In addition, only those persons accused of a class 4, 5, or 6 felony by direct information or felony complaint which felony requires mandatory sentencing or is a crime of violence as defined in section 18-1.3-406, or is a sexual offense under part 4 of article 3 of this title, shall have the right to demand and receive a preliminary hearing within a reasonable time to determine whether probable cause exists to believe that the offense charged in the information or felony complaint was committed by the defendant. The procedure to be followed in asserting the right to a preliminary hearing, and the time within which demand therefor must be made, as well as the time within which the hearing, if demanded, shall be had, shall be as provided by rule of the supreme court of the state of Colorado. A failure to observe and substantially comply with such rule is a waiver of the right to a preliminary hearing.

(2) (a) No person accused of a class 4, 5, or 6 felony or level 3 or level 4 drug felony by direct information or felony complaint, except those which require mandatory sentencing or which are crimes of violence as defined in section 18-1.3-406, or which are sexual offenses under part 4 of article 3 of this title, shall have the right to demand or receive a preliminary hearing; except that such person shall participate in a dispositional hearing for the purposes of case evaluation and potential resolution.

(b) Any defendant accused of a class 4, 5, or 6 felony or level 3 or level 4 drug felony who is not otherwise entitled to a preliminary hearing pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subsection (2), may demand and shall receive a preliminary hearing within a reasonable time pursuant to subsection (1) of this section, if the defendant is in custody; except that, upon motion of either party, the court shall vacate the preliminary hearing if there is a reasonable showing that the defendant has been released from custody prior to the preliminary hearing.

Source: L. 71: R&RE, p. 398, § 1. C.R.S. 1963: § 40-1-504. L. 98: Entire section amended, p. 1272, § 2, effective July 1. L. 2002: (1) and (2)(a) amended, p. 1510, § 178, effective October 1. L. 2014: Entire section amended, (SB 14-163), ch. 391, p. 1970, § 6, effective June 6.

Cross references: (1) For the rule of the supreme court on preliminary hearings, see Crim. P. 5.

(2) For the legislative declaration contained in the 2002 act amending subsections (1) and (2)(a), see section 1 of chapter 318, Session Laws of Colorado 2002.

ANNOTATION

Primary purpose of the preliminary hearing is to determine whether probable cause exists to support the prosecution's charge that the accused committed a specific crime. People v. Quinn, 183 Colo. 245, 516 P.2d 420 (1973).

The preliminary hearing is held for the limited purpose of determining if probable cause exists to believe that the crime or crimes charged were committed by the defendant. People ex rel. Farina v. District Court, 184 Colo. 406, 521 P.2d 778 (1974).

Although a preliminary hearing provides the defendant with an early opportunity to question the government's case, it is not designed to alter the basic proposition that an accused is entitled to one trial on the merits of the charge. People v. Quinn, 183 Colo. 245, 516 P.2d 420 (1973).

The preliminary hearing was created as a screening device to afford the defendant an opportunity to challenge the sufficiency of the prosecution's evidence to establish probable cause before an impartial judge. People ex rel. Farina v. District Court, 184 Colo. 406, 521 P.2d 778 (1974).

Prosecution not required to lay out all witnesses and evidence. A preliminary hearing is a screening device and does not require that the prosecution lay out for inspection and for full examination all witnesses and evidence. People v. Quinn, 183 Colo. 245, 516 P.2d 420 (1973).

Judge must draw all reasonable inferences favorable to the prosecution at a preliminary hearing. People ex rel. Russel v. Hall, 620 P.2d 34 (Colo. 1980).

A trial court commits reversible error when it resolved the inferences arising from conflicting testimony in a preliminary hearing in the defendant's favor. People v. Williams, 628 P.2d 1011 (Colo. 1981).

Standard of review in determining if probable cause had been established requires that the evidence be sufficient to induce a person of ordinary prudence and caution conscientiously to entertain a reasonable belief that the defendant may have committed the crimes charged. People ex rel. Russel v. Hall, 620 P.2d 34 (Colo. 1980).

The standards for determining probable cause at a preliminary hearing are: (1) Probable cause is established when the evidence is sufficient to induce a person of ordinary prudence and caution to a reasonable belief that the defendant committed the crimes charged; (2) the evidence presented must be viewed in the light most favorable to the prosecution; (3) if testimony conflicts, the trial court must draw an inference for the prosecution; and (4) the preliminary hearing is a screening device and not a trial. People v. Williams, 628 P.2d 1011 (Colo. 1981).

Hearsay evidence and other evidence, which would be incompetent if offered at the time of trial, may be the bulk of evidence at a preliminary hearing. People v. Quinn, 183 Colo. 245, 516 P.2d 420 (1973).

Hearsay evidence, which would otherwise be inadmissible at the trial, may be considered for purposes of establishing probable cause. People v. Williams, 628 P.2d 1011 (Colo. 1981).

Admissibility of confessions and evidence not resolved as required at trial. The admissibility of a confession at a preliminary hearing, which is alleged to be involuntary or the admissibility of evidence that may have been seized in violation of amendment 4 of the U.S. Const. need not be resolved on the same basis that would be required when such motion is properly before the trial court or at the time of the trial. People v. Quinn, 183 Colo. 245, 516 P.2d 420 (1973).

Waiver admits evidence sufficient to establish probable cause. If the defendant elects to waive the preliminary hearing and to proceed to trial, the waiver operates as an admission by the defendant that sufficient evidence does exist to establish probable cause that the defendant committed the crimes charged. People ex rel. Farina v. District Court, 184 Colo. 406, 521 P.2d 778 (1974).

Right to hearing may not be restored once waived. Under the Colorado rules of criminal procedure and the statutes of this state, a district court is not vested with the power to restore a defendant's statutory right to a preliminary hearing once the defendant had waived that right in county court bind-over proceedings. People ex rel. Farina v. District Court, 184 Colo. 406, 521 P.2d 778 (1974).

Defendant entitled to a preliminary hearing on all class 1, 2, or 3 felonies even when the felony classification results from a sentence enhancer. People v. Simpson, 2012 COA 156, 292 P.3d 1153.

This section requires a preliminary hearing whenever a defendant who is out of custody is charged with a class 4, 5, or 6 felony that always requires mandatory sentencing, but not if the class 4, 5, or 6 felony charged may require mandatory sentencing. People v. Hacke, 2023 CO 6, 524 P.3d 8.