General District Courts have jurisdiction over which matters?

• A. Misdemeanor and traffic trials
• B. Preliminary hearings for felonies
• C. Both A and B
• D. None

Answer: (C)

General District Courts handle criminal matters at the entry level: they hear misdemeanors and traffic offenses, and they also conduct preliminary hearings for felonies to decide if there is probable cause to bind the case over to the Circuit Court for trial. They do not try felonies themselves—that happens in Circuit Court after binding over. Since both types of matters—misdemeanor/traffic cases and preliminary hearings for felonies—fall under General District Court jurisdiction, the best answer is the combination of both.