What is stages of the pretrial process for a criminal defendant on the federal levels?

The pretrial process for a criminal defendant at the federal level typically involves several key stages. Initially, the defendant is arrested and brought before a magistrate for an initial appearance, where charges are explained. Following this, a preliminary hearing is conducted to determine if there is enough evidence for the case to proceed. If the case moves forward, the defendant may enter a plea, and a series of pretrial motions may be filed before the trial date is set.