Misdemeanors
In misdemeanor cases, your first court appearance will be for the actual trial. There is no preliminary hearing. The verdict in misdemeanor trials are decided by a judge. A defendant may demand / request a trial by a jury, in which case the trial will be transferred to circuit court.

Felony
Usually, cases that reach this state in Circuit Court are decided by a jury of 12 people selected from the community. In some instances a case may be decided by a judge. Your attendance and testimony will usually be required.