What is the maximum wait for a preliminary hearing in TN?

Answer 1

A preliminary hearing, in the context of criminal law, is used to determine whether probable cause exists to believe that the offense charged in the information has been committed by the defendant. The hearing officer considers the evidence and reaches a decision on the issue of whether probable cause existed for the arrest and subsequent charge.

In Tennessee the arrestee will go through the these steps in the criminal justice process before reaching the Prelim stage: Arrest - Initial Appearance - Bail hearing (sometimes combined with the Initial Appearance) - THEN Preliminary Hearing (see above).

All these processes must occur within the context of "Speedy Trial" rules, so it is a safe bet that the Prelim will occur sometime within the first 90 days following arrest. How soon or how late may be a function of how full the courts docket happens to be AND whether the defendant asks for or needs time to secure private counsel.