3.16 Record of testimony

When you have a preliminary hearing in a criminal case, the court will record what everyone says, unless both sides agree to skip the recording. This means the testimony given by witnesses and any statements made during the hearing get saved on tape or in some recorded format.

If you want a copy of that recording later, you can ask for one. You'll need to pay a fee to cover the cost of getting the copy made. Either the prosecution or the defense can make this request, not just one side.

This rule matters because it creates a record of what happened at the hearing. If there are questions later about what a witness said or what took place during the proceeding, the recording can help settle those questions.