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An indictment (/ ɪ n ˈ d aɪ t m ən t / [1] in-DYTE-mənt) is a formal accusation that a person has committed a crime.In jurisdictions that use the concept of felonies, the most serious criminal offense is a felony; jurisdictions that do not use that concept often use that of an indictable offence, an offence that requires an indictment.
An information is a formal criminal charge which, depending upon the jurisdiction, either begins or continues a criminal proceeding in the courts. The information is one of the oldest common law pleadings (first appearing around the 13th century), and is nearly as old as the better-known indictment, with which it has always coexisted.
In many common law jurisdictions (e.g. England and Wales, Ireland, Canada, Hong Kong, India, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore), an indictable offence is an offence which can only be tried on an indictment after a preliminary hearing to determine whether there is a prima facie case to answer or by a grand jury (in contrast to a summary offence).
Aug. 6—EDITOR'S NOTE — An indictment is an allegation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law beyond reasonable doubt. A ...
Read Donald Trump’s 37-count federal indictment in full
Indictment begins a years-long project, which leaves ample time to supersede indictments as changing information requires – just like any other citizen would face after such grave allegations ...
It requires grand juries to be composed of 16 to 23 members and that 12 members must concur in an indictment. [15] [16] A grand jury is instructed to return an indictment if the probable cause standard has been met. The grand jury's decision is either a "true bill" (formerly billa vera, resulting in an indictment), or "no true bill".
When an enactment in the United Kingdom creates an offence, it generally specifies what penalties apply on summary conviction or on conviction on indictment.In relation to England and Wales, the first expression refers to a trial in a magistrates' court without a jury before a district judge or a panel of magistrates, while the latter refers to a trial in the Crown Court by jury.