16-12C-9. Jurisdiction–Committal–Conditions.
A magistrate court with a clerk magistrate presiding has concurrent jurisdiction with the circuit courts to act as a committing magistrate if voluntary and knowledgeable waiver of preliminary hearing has been given before the court. The magistrate court may conduct preliminary hearings as a committing magistrate unless demand is made by the defendant prior to such hearing to have the hearing conducted before a magistrate judge or a circuit judge to be assigned by the presiding judge.
Source: SL 2003, ch 117, §36.