indicting
Bringing criminal charges
Indicting is the act of formally accusing someone of a crime, typically through a grand jury's decision that sufficient evidence exists to bring charges.
The word is pronounced with a silent C: in-DY-ting.
Beyond legal contexts, indicting extends to any serious accusation or condemnation: The report was indicting of the entire industry's practices.
To indict a system or policy is to expose its failures.
Grand jury's rejection decision
- presentmentJury-initiated criminal charge
- forepersonJury's elected spokesperson
- jurorsTrial decision makers
- panelDistinct flat section
secrecy · deliberation · inquiry · investigation · subpoena · evidence · testimony · witnesses
Judicial proceedings chamber
- judgeOne who decides
- juryLegal decision-making body
- evidenceFacts supporting truth
- testimonySworn statement as evidence
witness · defense · verdict · deliberation · objection · docket · subpoena · allegation
Government's trial lawyer
- defendantParty facing charges
- chargesAmounts owed or alleged
- felonySerious criminal offense
- misdemeanorLesser criminal charge
arraignment · plea · bail · conviction · sentence · guilty · verdict · bargain
no-bill
Grand jury's rejection decision
- presentmentJury-initiated criminal charge
- forepersonJury's elected spokesperson
- jurorsTrial decision makers
panel · secrecy · deliberation · inquiry · investigation · subpoena · evidence · testimony · witnesses · oath
courtroom
Judicial proceedings chamber
testimony · witness · defense · verdict · deliberation · objection · docket · subpoena · allegation · rebuttal
prosecutor
Government's trial lawyer
misdemeanor · arraignment · plea · bail · conviction · sentence · guilty · verdict · bargain · counsel
charge
Cost or accusation
- accuseClaim someone did wrong
- allegeAssert without substantiation
- implicateSuggest involvement in wrongdoing
incriminate · blame · denounce · condemn · censure · finger · point · arraign · impeach · reproach
- reproachesblaming, scolding, rebuking, reprimanding, censuring
- criminal lawcrime, felony, misdemeanor, murder, robbery
indictingacquitting
Declaring legally innocent
exonerating · exculpating · clearing · absolving · vindicating
indictingdefending
Protecting against harm
vindicating · exonerating · absolving · praising · excusing
indictment, indict, indicted, indicts, unindicted, reindicted