In the Criminal Division of the DeKalb County Magistrate Court, misdemeanor first appearance hearings are held at 9:30 a.m every day, and felony first appearance hearings are held at 1:00 pm Monday through Saturday. At the first appearance hearing defendants are informed of the charge(s) brought against them, their rights in criminal proceedings, including the right to remain silent, and to be represented by counsel, and bond and any release conditions will be addressed if not legally precluded. The right to a future commitment or preliminary hearings is also explained. If the judge is not authorized to set bond or declines to set bond, the defendant will be notified of the procedure for requesting bond in Superior Court. Generally, attorneys from the Office of the Public Defender are present for all first appearance hearings, in addition to attorneys from the District Attorney’s Office and the Solicitor-General’s Office.