Instead of passing sentence itself, the magistrates' court may commit the offender to the Crown Court for sentence. (ii) T£i.al_an,J,adigtjnent First, a magistrates' court sitting as an examining justice or justices conducts a preliminary hearing, sometimes called a preliminary investigation, in order to determine whether there is sufficient evidence against the accused for him to be put on trial. This hearing is called the committal proceedings and represents a continuation at the judicial level of the inquiries begun by the police. If the court decides that the evidence is sufficient, it commits the accused to the Crown Court for trial; if not, it discharges him and dismisses the information. This discharge is not an acquittal, because the issue of guilt has not been tried; it therefore leaves the prosecutor the option of preferring fresh charges for the same offence, but in all other respects the accused is a free man. 4/ Note that arrêt, fallo, jugement and sentencia, when used in the sense of a final decision in criminal proceedings, can mean a decision to convict or to absolve or to acquit, and should not be translated by sentence tinless they mean a decision to convict accompanied by the imposition of a punishment. - 1101 - If the accused is committed for trial, an indictment is prepared. ¿/ The trial in the Crown Court begins with the arraignment of the accused: the indictment is read to him and he is asked whether he is guilty or not guilty; his answer is called a plea, which may be a plea of guilty, a plea of not guilty or one of several other general or special pleas, è/ On a plea of not guilty, prosecuting counsel puts his case and examines his witnesses, who are then cross-examined by defence counsel. Defence counsel puts his case, the 
**Analysis**
The text appears to be discussing the process of criminal justice in the UK, specifically the procedures and decisions made by magistrates' courts and the Crown Court. It focuses on the legal terminology and the steps involved in committing an offender to trial. Given the context, it seems likely that the text is related to the administration of justice and the legal system.

**Category**
Justice, Law Enforcement