Indictment: meaning, definitions and examples
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indictment
[ ɪnˈdaɪtmənt ]
legal term
An indictment is a formal accusation that a person has committed a crime. In the United States, an indictment is typically issued by a grand jury based upon a proposed charge presented by a prosecutor. It serves as a means to bring the accused to trial.
Synonyms
accusation, allegation, charge
Examples of usage
- The grand jury returned an indictment against the suspect.
- The prosecutor presented the indictment in court.
Translations
Translations of the word "indictment" in other languages:
🇵🇹 acusação
🇮🇳 अभियोग
🇩🇪 Anklage
🇮🇩 dakwaan
🇺🇦 обвинувачення
🇵🇱 akt oskarżenia
🇯🇵 起訴
🇫🇷 acte d'accusation
🇪🇸 acusación
🇹🇷 suçlama
🇰🇷 기소
🇸🇦 اتهام
🇨🇿 obžaloba
🇸🇰 obžaloba
🇨🇳 起诉书
🇸🇮 obtožnica
🇮🇸 ákæra
🇰🇿 айыптау
🇬🇪 ბრალდება
🇦🇿 ittiham
🇲🇽 acusación
Word origin
The word 'indictment' originated from the Latin word 'indictare', which means 'to declare'. The concept of indictments dates back to ancient Roman law, where individuals were formally accused of crimes through a similar process. Over time, the practice of issuing indictments became a common legal procedure in many countries, including the United States.
See also: indict.