Rule 1203.1 Section 1203 is not applicable if the hearsay statement is offered at a preliminary examination, as provided in Section 872 of the Penal Code.

At a preliminary hearing, the normal rules about challenging hearsay statements do not apply. A preliminary hearing is an early court proceeding where a judge decides if there is enough evidence to send a case to trial.

This means that if someone's out-of-court statement is used as evidence at a preliminary hearing, the other side does not get the usual chance to question or challenge that statement under Section 1203. The rules are more relaxed at this stage compared to a full trial.