NORMALLY ALL FELONY CASES ARE HEARD BY A DISTRICT COURT JUDGE WITHIN A WEEK TO TEN DAYS AFTER THE COMPLAINT HAS BEEN FILED. THE DEFENDANT MAY NULLIFY THE DISTRICT COURT JUDGE'S RULING AND OBTAIN A TRIAL DE NOVO BY SIMPLY APPEALING TO THE SUPERIOR COURT, WHERE HE IS MORE LIKELY TO BE ACQUITTED OR TO HAVE HIS SENTENCE REDUCED. (SERIOUS FELONY OFFENDERS DO NOT HAVE THIS ADVANTAGE BECAUSE THEIR CASES ARE FIRST HEARD IN SUPERIOR COURT.) A CONSIDERABLE DELAY OFTEN RESULTS BETWEEN APPEAL AND TRIAL DE NOVO, DENYING THE DEFENDANT A SPEEDY TRIAL AND AT THE SAME TIME, TURNING HIM OUT ON THE STREET WITH NO COURT SUPERVISION. OTHER DISADVANTAGES OF THE TRIAL DE NOVO SYSTEM ARE PRESENTED ALONG WITH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A NEW PROCEDURE.