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An indictment is found and presented by a Grand Jury legally convened and sworn. It originates with a prosecutor and is issued by the grand jury against an individual who is charged with a crime. Before such individual may be convicted, the charge must be proved at trial Beyond a Reasonable Doubt.

The purpose of an indictment is to inform an accused individual of the charge against him or her so that the person will be able to prepare a defense.


n. a charge of a felony (serious crime) voted by a grand jury based upon a proposed charge, witnesses' testimony and other evidence presented by the public prosecutor (District Attorney). To bring an indictment the grand jury will not find guilt, but only the probability that a crime was committed, that the accused person did it, and that he/she should be tried. District Attorneys often only introduce key facts sufficient to show the probability, both to save time and to avoid revealing all the evidence. The Fifth Amendment to the U. S. Constitution provides that "No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on presentment of a Grand Jury..." However, while grand juries are common in charging Federal crimes, many states use grand juries sparingly, and use the criminal complaint, followed by a "preliminary hearing" held by a lower court judge or other magistrate, who will determine whether or not the prosecutor has presented sufficient evidence that the accused has committed a felony. If the judge finds there is enough evidence, he/she will order the case sent to the appropriate court for trial. (See: grand jury, indictable offense, preliminary hearing, felony)


a document that sets out the charges against a person. In England they are in simple form in terms of the Indictments Act 1915. In Scotland the indictments are prepared in terms of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1975.


References in periodicals archive ?
If the DPA falls apart, and the government prosecutes the criminal charge, the company will be unable to assert these and similar defenses.
However, GSK itself will escape criminal charges, as will as the group's former head of China operations, Briton Mark Reilly, according to a report by Reuters.
Gupta's attorney, Gary Naftalis, made no comment on possible criminal charges, but he issued a statement echoing his previous comments that Gupta committed no wrongdoing.
COULD doctors and nurses who make fatal medical errors when treating patients find themselves facing criminal charges? This emotive issue is not a new debate.
AN investigation into a police chief and his deputy is set to cost the taxpayer PS10million - without either officer facing a single criminal charge.
Global Banking News-August 9, 2019--Goldman Sachs executives face Malaysian criminal charges
M2 EQUITYBITES-August 9, 2019--Goldman Sachs executives face Malaysian criminal charges
And if there is abuse, graft on their part, criminal charges will be filed against them,' Moreno said.
No criminal charges will be brought after the death of a woman who was injured during a traditional May Day celebration in Cornwall.
The government of Malaysia has filed criminal charges against three subsidiaries of Goldman Sachs Inc over their handling of bonds totalling US$6.5 billion issued by 1MDB.
Malaysia has extradited a former Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS) banker to the United States to face criminal charges linked to the 1MDB scam.
Sonoma County District Attorney Jill Ravitch, along with the District Attorneys for Napa, Humboldt and Lake Counties, announced Tuesday that no criminal charges would be filed against PG&E related to the October 2017 Northern California wildfires.