What is the difference between being indicted and convicted?
While an indictment means you have been formally charged with a crime in Utah, a conviction means you have been found guilty of committing the crime. Once the indictment has established there is enough evidence to charge you with a crime, your case proceeds to a criminal trial.
What can one do if he is indicted?
If you have been indicted, you should speak to an attorney right away if you do not have one. And if you do have an attorney, you should discuss the indictment thoroughly with him or her to understand the allegations and consider what challenges can be made.
What happens when your indicted?
When people are indicted, they are given official notice that they are believed to have committed a crime. Indictment typically occurs after the prosecutor examines evidence and information collected by investigators, as well as information they obtain from speaking with individuals who are believed to be involved in the crime.
What does being indited for a crime mean?
Being indicted means to be formally charged with a serious crime, which results after a Grand Jury convenes to hear the evidence in the case against you. In many circumstances, indictments are required for federal and state felony charges to move forward.
Is indicted same as charged?
An indictment is an outcome of a grand jury proceeding and is a written accusation where the jury accuses you of committing a crime. By contrast, a “charge” refers to the instance when a prosecutor brings criminal charges and accuses you of an offense.
What does indicted someone mean?
When a person is indicted, they are given formal notice that it is believed that they committed a crime. The indictment contains the basic information that informs the person of the charges against them.
What is an example of indict?
An example of indict is someone being charged with a crime. To accuse of wrongdoing or criticize severely. To accuse of wrongdoing; charge.
What happens after an indictment?
Specifically, after obtaining an indictment, prosecutors obtain an arrest warrant. The arrest warrant names the person prosecutors want to arrest and specifies a place and time for the arrest. It also lists the crimes alleged against the target of the arrest warrant.
How serious is a federal indictment?
A federal criminal indictment is a serious matter, because it means that the criminal investigation has progressed to a point where the prosecutor now believes that he or she has enough evidence to convict.
What does tried on indictment mean?
The indictment is simply the document that contains the charge or charges faced by the defendant at trial in the Crown Court. A trial in the Crown Court is also known as 'trial on indictment' and offences which can or must be tried in the Crown Court are known as 'indictable offences'.
What does the word indictment mean in law?
An indictment formally charges a person with a criminal offense. The indictment enables a government prosecution of a suspected criminal actor for the offenses charged in the indictment.
What happens after indictment in Texas?
If the grand jury determines there is sufficient evidence to prosecute, then a “true bill” is issued, and the defendant remains in custody or on bond pending trial. After the indictment has been issued, the defendant will be arraigned, meaning they will be brought before the trial judge and they must enter a plea.
How long does it take to get indicted in Texas?
With the vast majority of federal crimes, the grand jury has five years to indict the accused. However, if the defendant is arrested and free on bond, the prosecutor has up to 180 days to secure an indictment.
What are the 4 main types of sentencing?
Four major goals are usually attributed to the sentencing process: retribution, rehabilitation, deterrence, and incapacitation.
What does it mean to be indicted in Texas?
An indictment is the charging instrument for felony crimes. An indictment must be voted on a by a grand jury. The grand jury consists of twelve persons. To get an indictment, the prosecutor must persuade nine out of the twelve grand jurors that probable cause exists that the defendant is guilty.
What Does Indicted Mean?
Being indicted means you are formally accused of committing a crime. This does not mean you are guilty of a crime or you immediately go to jail. Th...
What's The Difference Between a Complaint and an Indictment?
In Arizona, there are two different ways a person can be charged with a crime. A prosecutor can file a direct complaint against a suspect after law...
Does Indictment Mean Jail Time?
Being indicted does not mean you are sentenced to prison. An indictment does not mean the prosecution has concrete evidence against you; it means t...
What Happens After a Grand Jury Indictment?
A grand jury is made up of 9 to 16 citizens in Arizona. Grand jury members decide if there is enough evidence to pursue a trial. If 9 of the grand...
Will I Have To Go Before a Federal Grand Jury?
A federal grand jury is reserved for federal felony offenses. This includes drug trafficking, manufacturing, kidnapping, treason, and a host of oth...
Do I Need a Lawyer if I've Been Indicted?
The criminal justice system is convoluted and confusing to those who are unfamiliar with it. An experienced criminal defense attorney is an asset t...
What Is the Origin of the Word Indicted?
The word indict has been used since the Middle English indite and endict. This comes from the Anglo-French enditer and Old French enditier or enditer, which means to dictate or compose. These come from the Medieval Latin and Vulgar Latin indictare, meaning to declare, which has Proto-Indo-European roots.
What Are Translations of Indict?
Indictments don’t only happen in English-speaking countries. Study this list of translations to learn how to use the word indict with your non-English speaking friends.
How Can Indicted Be Used in a Sentence?
The word indict can be used in law and in casual speech. However, this word is most often associated with a courtroom and the process of law. Below, you can learn some ways in which the word indict can be used in a sentence in different verb forms and parts of speech:
How are indictments obtained?
To obtain an indictment, the prosecutor must present the case to a grand jury.
What does the grand jury do?
The function of the grand jury is to determine whether or not there is probable cause for criminal charges. The prosecution can present witnesses to support its position. Unlike jury trials, grand juries are convened in secrecy and mostly don’t involve defense attorneys or judges.
What happens after an indictment is obtained?
After successfully obtaining an indictment, the prosecutor brings the case to court. The suspected individual is arraigned, i.e. informed by the judge of the charges against him or her. The defendant can then choose to proceed with a jury trial or make a plea bargain with the prosecution.
How can an indictment be used in court?
Legally, an indictment is not evidence, and the jurors aren’t allowed to conclude on its basis that the defendant is guilty. However, non-professionals may be swayed by the allegations of an indictment.
What information must an indictment contain?
The Sixth Amendment guarantees the right of the defendant to be informed of nature and cause for the accusation. The indictment thereby must have sufficient information to inform the accused about both the “nature” and “cause” of the charges.
Can an indictment be amended (changed)?
Technically, an indictment cannot be amended to charge new crimes once it had been returned. This would violate the defendant’s rights defined by the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. But since prosecutors do often alter the charged offenses or add new crimes, there is a way to complement the original indictment.
Speaking indictment: what is it?
Indictments are referred to as “speaking” if they contain more facts and allegations than required by law. Prosecutors themselves select how much information they include in an indictment. In fact, because the indictment is the prosecutor’s version of the case, the jury may get prejudiced.
Examples of indictment in a Sentence
The grand jury has handed down indictments against several mobsters. No one was surprised by her indictment.
Legal Definition of indictment
Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!
What Is an Indictment?
An indictment is a formal accusation, based upon available evidence, that a person has committed a serious crime. If there’s enough evidence to prove that a person committed a crime, then they’re indicted.
Does an Indictment Mean I’m Guilty?
Whether you’re facing indictment or have already been indicted, that doesn’t mean you’ve been found guilty of a crime. All an indictment means is there was probable cause to charge you with a crime.
What does it mean to be indicted?
Indictment can also be used in a more general way, outside of a legal context, to mean an accusation, strong criticism, or something that has the effect of revealing something as being deserving of criticism.
What does indictment mean?
An indictment is an official accusation stating that a person is being charged with a crime and that a criminal trial will be held.
Where did the word "indictment" come from?
The first records of the word indictment come from around 1300. Its base word, indict, comes from the Latin indīctus , a form of the verb indīcere, meaning “to announce” or “to proclaim.”. An indictment is a formal announcement officially accusing someone of a crime. An indictment is issued only after a prosecutor and a grand jury have determined ...
What is an indictment in England?
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.
What is the purpose of an indictment?
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 . West's Encyclopedia of American Law, edition 2.
What is an indictment in criminal law?
A written accusation charging that an individual named therein has committed an act or omitted to do something that is punishable by law. 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.