The criminal process begins with the discovery of a crime when someone reports a crime to the police or the FBI, or law enforcement discovers a crime on its own. Once the authorities are notified, the investigation begins. They will attempt to gather enough evidence to charge and convict the suspect. The arrest is made once the bailiff has probable cause. To make an arrest, you typically need an arrest warrant. If the judicial officer makes an arrest without a warrant, a reason must be given to the suspect, unless the suspect is in the act of committing a crime or is being pursued. Once an arrest has been made, the prosecutor will review the evidence and decide whether or not to charge the suspect. Within 24 hours of arrest, the accused appears before the judge for the first time. During this time, the judge will notify the defendant of his charges, appoint an attorney, and/or set the bail amount. After this process, the preliminary hearing takes place. The prosecution must demonstrate that there are sufficiently probable reasons why the defendant committed the crime of which he is accused. Depending on the outcome, there may be an indictment or an information. Once this happens, we proceed to the appearance hearing. This is the hearing where the defendant's formal charges are read. Next the discovery process begins. This is where defense and accusation exchange