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What happens after an indictment?
In this article, you’ll learn about:
Let’s dig in.
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After an indictment is issued, several legal processes can unfold, depending on the jurisdiction and specific circumstances of the case.
An indictment is a formal charge or accusation of a serious crime, typically presented by a grand jury.
Here’s a general overview of what happens after an indictment:
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An arraignment is one of the first steps in the court process after someone gets indicted.
When a grand jury issues an indictment, it means they believe there’s enough evidence for a case to move forward in court.
After this indictment, the accused person needs to be informed of these charges.
That’s where the arraignment comes in.
At the arraignment:
In short, the arraignment ensures that accused people:
Bail is a way to ensure that a person accused of a crime returns to court for trial.
It’s like a deposit.
If the person returns to court as required, they get their bail money back.
If not, they lose that money.
After an indictment, here’s how bail considerations usually work:
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When someone is charged with a crime, all parties need to know what evidence the other party has.
This includes both the person being accused (the defendant) and the group charging them (the prosecution).
This exchange of information is called the discovery process.
Here’s how it works after an indictment:
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After someone is formally charged with a crime, both parties can ask the court to make specific decisions or take action.
They do this by filing motions.
Here’s a simple breakdown of motions after an indictment:
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Plea bargaining is a way for the accused person and the prosecutor to make a deal without going to trial.
It’s like negotiating.
Instead of facing a long trial, the accused person can agree to plead guilty to a lesser charge, and in return, they often get a lighter punishment.
Here’s how plea bargaining usually works after an indictment:
A trial is the process where a court decides if someone accused of a crime is guilty or not.
After an indictment, which is a formal charge, the trial is the next big step.
Here’s how the trial usually works:
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When someone is charged with a crime, they eventually go to trial where the court decides if they’re guilty or not. This decision is called the verdict.
Here’s how the verdict process works after an indictment:
After someone is found guilty of a crime, the next step is deciding their punishment.
This decision-making process is called sentencing.
Here’s how sentencing usually works:
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An appeal is a request for a higher court to review and change the decision of a lower court.
After someone is indicted, tried, and then found guilty, they might not agree with the outcome.
So, they might ask a higher court to take another look.
Here’s how that process typically goes:
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Here are other questions clients ask us about indictments.
Yes, charges can be dropped after an indictment.
The prosecutor can decide not to pursue the case for various reasons, such as:
If the prosecutor drops the charges, the accused person will not face trial for those charges.
Indictment does not mean jail time.
An indictment is just a formal charge or accusation of a crime.
After an indictment, a person goes to trial.
Only if found guilty at trial does the person face jail time.
But even then, the exact punishment depends on the crime and other factors.
If you are facing an indictment, fill out the form on this page.
Our criminal defense attorneys have the experience you need to defend your rights.
This way, you don’t:
You deserve a fair trial in the criminal justice system.
We can provide you with that.
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