indictment
Formal criminal accusation
An indictment is a formal accusation that someone has committed a crime, issued by a grand jury after reviewing evidence presented by prosecutors.
The indictment initiates criminal proceedings: The grand jury handed down an indictment on three counts of fraud.
Figuratively, something that reveals serious flaws serves as an indictment: The report is an indictment of the entire healthcare system.
Charge-reading court session
- prosecutionPursuing legal charges
- grand juryInvestigative charging body
- defendantParty facing charges
- prosecutorGovernment's trial lawyer
felony · misdemeanor · plea · allegation · testimony · evidence · subpoena · courtroom
Cost or accusation
- allegationAssertion lacking proof
- accusationClaim someone did wrong
- incriminationSuggesting someone's guilt
- implicationIndirect suggestion or consequence
complaint · blame · finger-pointing · impeachment · denunciation · reproach · censure · rebuke
Investigative charging body
- prosecutorGovernment's trial lawyer
- evidenceFacts supporting truth
- witnessOne who attests
- testimonySworn statement as evidence
subpoena · interrogation · suspect · detective · probe · inquiry · crime · motive
Detailed evaluative analysis
- rebukeExpress sharp disapproval
- condemnationSevere disapproval expressed formally
- denunciationFormal public accusation
- censureFormal institutional disapproval
reproach · disapproval · castigation · exposé · takedown · broadside · scathing · damning
Moral self-reproach
- blameAssign responsibility for wrongdoing
- responsibilityState of being answerable
- faultImperfection or blame
- complicityShared criminal involvement
accountability · liability · wrongdoing · misconduct · malfeasance · corruption · incrimination · implication
arraignment
Charge-reading court session
- prosecutionPursuing legal charges
- grand juryInvestigative charging body
- defendantParty facing charges
prosecutor · felony · misdemeanor · plea · allegation · testimony · evidence · subpoena · courtroom · bail
charge
Cost or accusation
- allegationAssertion lacking proof
- accusationClaim someone did wrong
- incriminationSuggesting someone's guilt
implication · complaint · blame · finger-pointing · impeachment · denunciation · reproach · censure · rebuke · condemnation
grand jury
Investigative charging body
- prosecutorGovernment's trial lawyer
- evidenceFacts supporting truth
- witnessOne who attests
testimony · subpoena · interrogation · suspect · detective · probe · inquiry · crime · motive · corroboration
critique
Detailed evaluative analysis
- rebukeExpress sharp disapproval
- condemnationSevere disapproval expressed formally
- denunciationFormal public accusation
censure · reproach · disapproval · castigation · exposé · takedown · broadside · scathing · damning · searing
guilt
Moral self-reproach
- blameAssign responsibility for wrongdoing
- responsibilityState of being answerable
- faultImperfection or blame
complicity · accountability · liability · wrongdoing · misconduct · malfeasance · corruption · incrimination · implication · taint
- criminal justicearrest, jail, court, prison, crime
- criminal trialarraignment, defense attorney, courtroom, criminal trial, prosecutor
- lawlaw, lawyer, lawyers, attorney, attorneys
- chargedbattery, electron, ion, capacitor, current
- legal termstrial, legal, appeal, lawsuit, law
- courtroom itemsevidence, gavel, witness stand, documents, legal briefs
indictmentacquittal
Formal clearing of charges
exoneration · vindication · dismissal · not guilty verdict · absolution
indictmentpraise
Expression of approval
acclaim · commendation · vindication · endorsement · celebration
indictmentabsolution
Formal clearing of guilt
justification · exoneration · vindication · exculpation · excuse
- criminal indictmentFormal accusation of crime
- grand jury indictment
- sealed indictmentUndisclosed criminal accusation
- federal indictmentFormal accusation from national prosecutors