What type of evidence rules are applied during a preliminary hearing?

During a preliminary hearing, informal evidence rules apply, which means that the strict rules of evidence typically used in a full trial do not apply in the same way. The purpose of a preliminary hearing is to determine whether there is enough evidence to proceed with the case, not to weigh all evidence as would be done in a trial. This setting allows for a broader range of evidence to be considered, including hearsay and other types of evidence that would not be permissible in a trial. Thus, the informal nature of these rules allows the judge to make an early assessment of the case without the rigid constraints applied in a more formal judicial setting. This can facilitate a quicker determination of whether there is probable cause to move forward.