An indictment is a formal accusation voted on by a Grand Jury—a panel of 16–23 citizens.
They review testimony and evidence privately and decide by majority whether there’s reasonable cause to charge.
Indictments act as both shield and sword—protecting against unfounded charges while authorizing prosecution for serious felonies.
A sealed indictment means the defendant was not previously charged; unsealed means they were.
Grand juries don’t determine guilt, only whether a case moves forward.
Every indicted defendant remains innocent until proven guilty.