Which is the formal charge or accusation of a serious crime?

Which is the formal charge or accusation of a serious crime?

• A. Search Warrant (SW)
• B. Brady v. Maryland
• C. Indictment
• D. Giglio

Answer: (C)

An indictment is the formal charge or accusation of a serious crime. It is a written accusation typically brought after a grand jury reviews evidence presented by the prosecutor, and it starts the criminal case. The grand jury serves as a check on prosecutorial power by determining that there is enough probable cause to charge someone before trial. This differs from a search warrant, which authorizes police to search a specific place for evidence, and from Brady v. Maryland and Giglio, which concern disclosure obligations related to evidence and witness credibility rather than charging documents. In some jurisdictions, prosecutors can file an information instead of an indictment, but the traditional formal charge in many systems is an indictment.

An indictment is the formal charge or accusation of a serious crime. It is a written accusation typically brought after a grand jury reviews evidence presented by the prosecutor, and it starts the criminal case. The grand jury serves as a check on prosecutorial power by determining that there is enough probable cause to charge someone before trial. This differs from a search warrant, which authorizes police to search a specific place for evidence, and from Brady v. Maryland and Giglio, which concern disclosure obligations related to evidence and witness credibility rather than charging documents. In some jurisdictions, prosecutors can file an information instead of an indictment, but the traditional formal charge in many systems is an indictment.