If you’ve read the news or watched crime shows on TV, you’ve likely heard of people being indicted. But what is an indictment exactly?
This guide explains what an indictment is, when an indictment is required, and how an indictment works.
What Is an Indictment?
An indictment occurs when someone is formally accused of committing a crime. Depending on state and local laws, this could be after a grand jury has determined there is probable cause for a prosecutor to move forward with pursuing criminal charges.
When a prosecutor decides to move forward with pursuing criminal charges against a person, there are two paths to choose from:
- A prosecutor could seek an indictment from a grand jury.
- A prosecutor could file a criminal complaint directly with the court.
The former typically carries more weight because it means a grand jury has assessed the evidence and determined there are reasonable grounds to move forward with criminal proceedings.
Prosecutors are required to seek an indictment for certain kinds of criminal offenses. The exact process for when an indictment is required and how a prosecutor can indict someone varies depending on which state laws or federal laws apply.
When Does a Prosecutor Need To Get an Indictment in a Federal Case?
A prosecutor must get an indictment before pursuing certain kinds of criminal charges on the federal level. The Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution specifies that “No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury.”
While the Fifth Amendment does carve out some limited exceptions, this means anyone accused of a federal felony or other serious federal offense must be indicted before a criminal case can move forward against them.
States are not bound by this Fifth Amendment requirement, but many states do follow a similar process for requiring an indictment before a person is forced to face serious criminal charges.
How Does a Prosecutor Get an Indictment?
In order to indict someone via grand jury, a prosecutor must present evidence and convince the grand jury there is probable cause a crime was committed (evidence enough to think that a crime occurred and the accused is the person who committed it) so a criminal case should move forward. There is usually no judge in grand jury proceedings and the rules of evidence are more relaxed compared with a criminal trial.
On the federal level, grand juries have between 16 and 23 members. The prosecutor presents evidence to the grand jury and outlines the case against the person they hope to indict. The grand jury reviews the information presented and votes as to whether to indict.
The individual who could potentially be indicted is typically not present at the grand jury hearing and so does not present evidence at that time. The prosecutor can call witnesses and present supporting facts to the grand jury to try to convince them to indict. The proceedings are usually secret and the proceedings are sealed so the defendant doesn’t know who testified or what they said during the grand jury proceedings.
If the prosecutor has convinced the grand jury there is probable cause to move forward, the jury will vote to indict. The decision does not need to be unanimous for the prosecutor to move forward as long as a majority, supermajority, or minimum number of grand jurors agree there is probable cause (the specific requirements depend on state or federal rules).
Why Would a Prosecutor Get an Indictment?
Prosecutors might pursue an indictment because they are required to do so in order to pursue a certain kind of criminal charge. For example, as mentioned above, the Constitution requires a prosecutor to obtain an indictment when charging someone with certain serious federal crimes.
Prosecutors may also pursue indictments in politically charged cases. The fact that a grand jury can make the decision about whether to indict can theoretically shield the prosecutor from criticism. However, this is not always effective, both because grand juries have reputations for almost always indicting potential defendants and because sometimes there is public outcry about the secrecy inherent in grand jury proceedings.
Prosecutors may also prefer to pursue indictment because grand jury proceedings are secret. This enables them to control what information is released about a case, and it can also protect the reputation of a potential defendant because there is no public proceedings until after a grand jury chooses to indict.
If Someone Is Indicted, Are They Guilty?
When a grand jury indicts someone, that does not mean they are guilty of the crime(s) they have been indicted for. Instead, it means there is probable cause for the prosecutor to proceed with formal criminal charges.
The prosecutor still needs to prove the defendant is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a criminal trial in order for the defendant to be found guilty. The defendant will also have a chance to present a defense during a criminal trial, unlike during typical grand jury proceedings.
What Happens If You Are Indicted?
If you are indicted, this means either a prosecutor has filed a criminal complaint against you directly with the court or a grand jury has determined there is probable cause for a prosecutor to move forward with pressing criminal charges against you.
You will be notified of the charges and could face arrest and prosecution. You need to decide how to respond, which could include trying to negotiate a plea agreement to avoid a trial or building a defense to try to avoid a guilty verdict.
You should speak with an experienced criminal defense attorney if you are indicted to help you navigate your involvement with the criminal justice system.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Indictments
What does it mean when someone is going to be indicted?
An indictment is a formal accusation of a crime after a prosecutor has filed criminal charges directly with the court or a grand jury has determined there is probable cause to move forward with criminal proceedings. The person who was indicted will likely have to stand trial or enter into a plea agreement to resolve criminal accusations against them.
Is being indicted the same as being guilty?
Being indicted is not the same as being guilty. When you are indicted, either a prosecutor filed criminal charges with the court or a grand jury has reviewed evidence put forward by a prosecutor and determined there is probable cause for the prosecutor to move forward with criminal charges against you.
The prosecutor would still need to prove your guilt beyond a reasonable doubt during a criminal trial, and you would have the chance to raise defenses.
Why would someone be indicted?
People are indicted when a prosecutor either files a criminal complaint directly with the court or presents evidence before a grand jury that works to determine if there is probable cause to charge a person with a crime. If the grand jury believes there is probable cause, they would return an indictment.
Prosecutors may be required to get an indictment before moving forward with pressing charges for certain kinds of cases, or they may choose to do so for many reasons including attempting to avoid criticism in politically charged cases.
