indicts
Brings criminal charges
Indicts is the third-person singular of indict, meaning to formally charge someone with a crime.
A grand jury indicts; a prosecutor seeks an indictment.
The word extends to any serious accusation: The report indicts the entire industry for negligence.
Note the silent c—indicts rhymes with "predicts."
Claim someone did wrong
- arraignmentCharge-reading court session
- grand juryInvestigative charging body
- felonySerious criminal offense
- misdemeanorLesser criminal charge
charge · complaint · count · criminal charge · formal accusation · presentment · true bill · information
Legal decision-making body
- verdictOfficial court decision
- defendantParty facing charges
- attorneyLicensed legal representative
- judgeOne who decides
bench · docket · hearing · criminal court · preliminary hearing · gavel · bailiff · counsel
Government's trial lawyer
- district attorneyCounty's chief prosecuting officer
- plaintiffCivil case initiator
- trialJudicial examination of claims
- evidenceFacts supporting truth
testimony · witness · subpoena · defendant · plea bargain · guilty plea · discovery · deposition
Declare wrong or guilty
- denouncePublicly declare wrongdoing
- censureFormal institutional disapproval
- accuseClaim someone did wrong
- blameAssign responsibility for wrongdoing
reproach · castigate · implicate · expose · call out · finger-pointing · public scrutiny · media scrutiny
Moral self-reproach
- blameAssign responsibility for wrongdoing
- accountabilityObligation for one's actions
- wrongdoingUnethical or illegal action
- complicityShared criminal involvement
fault · responsibility · misconduct · corruption · malfeasance · criminality · dishonor · disgrace
accusation
Claim someone did wrong
- arraignmentCharge-reading court session
- grand juryInvestigative charging body
- felonySerious criminal offense
misdemeanor · charge · complaint · count · criminal charge · formal accusation · presentment · true bill · information · allegation
jury
Legal decision-making body
judge · bench · docket · hearing · criminal court · preliminary hearing · gavel · bailiff · counsel · dock
prosecutor
Government's trial lawyer
- district attorneyCounty's chief prosecuting officer
- plaintiffCivil case initiator
- trialJudicial examination of claims
evidence · testimony · witness · subpoena · defendant · plea bargain · guilty plea · discovery · deposition · case
condemn
Declare wrong or guilty
- denouncePublicly declare wrongdoing
- censureFormal institutional disapproval
- accuseClaim someone did wrong
blame · reproach · castigate · implicate · expose · call out · finger-pointing · public scrutiny · media scrutiny · scandal
guilt
Moral self-reproach
- blameAssign responsibility for wrongdoing
- accountabilityObligation for one's actions
- wrongdoingUnethical or illegal action
complicity · fault · responsibility · misconduct · corruption · malfeasance · criminality · dishonor · disgrace · condemnation
- criticismscriticizes, disparages, condemns, denounces, censures
indictsacquits
Declares legally innocent
exonerates · exculpates · clears · absolves · vindicates
indictsvindicates
Proves innocence or correctness
defends · exonerates · absolves · clears · champions
- criminal indictmentFormal accusation of crime
- grand jury indictment
- sealed indictmentUndisclosed criminal accusation
- federal indictmentFormal accusation from national prosecutors
indictment, indict, indicative, vindicate, indicted, indicting, unindicted, vindicator, vindicators