§ 135.155 Retention of record and statements by magistrate; inspection

When a preliminary hearing happens, the magistrate (the judicial officer running the hearing) has to keep the official record of what happened, along with any statement the defendant made. This record has to be kept safe until it gets sent to the proper court.

While the magistrate has this record, most people are not allowed to look at it. Only a few people can see it: the district attorney, a lawyer working on behalf of the district attorney, the defendant, and the defendant's own lawyer. Anyone else is blocked from viewing it.

This rule exists to protect the privacy of the case and keep the process fair while it is still moving through the system. It makes sure the information does not get out to the public or other people before the court officially has it.