What is the purpose of a grand jury indictment?

A grand jury indictment is a formal written accusation of a criminal offense used to initiate a criminal prosecution in the courts in California. It is issued by a grand jury—a group of individuals, chosen from the population, convened to consider evidence presented to them by a prosecutor relating to a potential crime. The purpose of a grand jury indictment is to determine whether sufficient evidence exists to charge a defendant with a crime. When a grand jury finds that evidence is sufficient, they issue an indictment. Indictments are commonly used in serious felony cases. For a grand jury to issue an indictment in California, they must find "probable cause”—evidence that indicates a crime has been committed and that the accused person is likely responsible. The grand jury must find that there is enough evidence for the accused to stand trial in a court of law. By using a grand jury indictment, the prosecutor can move forward with charging the accused without putting the state to trial. When an indictment is issued, the accused defendant can be arrested and brought to court for arraignment. In California, grand jury proceedings are conducted in private, which means that members of the public and the media are usually not allowed to attend. This confidentiality helps to protect the accused from pre-trial publicity and allows the grand jury to consider evidence without potential interference from outside sources.

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What is the purpose of a grand jury indictment?

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