An indictment is a formal criminal charge, often issued after grand jury review, accusing a person of a serious offense.
Indictment is a formal criminal accusation that charges a person with an offense, often after a grand jury concludes that enough evidence exists to proceed.
An indictment matters because it is one of the formal ways a serious criminal case begins. It signals that the government is not just investigating but is moving forward with charges that the defendant will have to answer in court.
The term also matters because many readers hear it in news coverage and assume it means guilt. It does not. It means the case has reached a formal charging stage.
Indictments appear in felony prosecutions, grand jury proceedings, arraignment scheduling, plea negotiations, and media coverage of criminal cases. They usually describe the charges and the alleged conduct at a formal level.
A grand jury reviews witness testimony, records, and investigative evidence in a fraud case. It returns an indictment charging the defendant with multiple felony counts.
An indictment is a charging document, not a conviction. It is often associated with felony cases and may lead directly to arraignment. The government still carries the burden of proof at trial.