Indictment
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Plain-English Meaning
A formal written accusation issued by a grand jury charging a person with a felony. In New York, most felony prosecutions must be based on an indictment. It means the grand jury found probable cause that the person committed the crime.
Legal Context
Under N.Y. CPL § 200.10, an indictment is a written accusation filed by a grand jury charging one or more defendants with the commission of one or more offenses. The grand jury must find reasonable cause to believe the defendant committed the offense. An indictment transfers the case from local criminal court to Supreme Court for prosecution. The defendant must be arraigned on the indictment.
Real-Life Example
After a felony assault investigation, the DA presented evidence to a grand jury. The grand jury voted to indict Marcus on charges of Assault in the First Degree. The case was transferred to Supreme Court where Marcus was arraigned on the indictment and entered a not-guilty plea.
Related Statutes
Related Terms
Source
Based on N.Y. CPL § 200.10. Original B-Legal plain-language explanation.
N.Y. CPL § 200.10
Definitions are simplified for education. Legal meanings vary by jurisdiction, context, and case facts. This definition is original B-Legal content and is not affiliated with or derived from any proprietary legal dictionary.