What is the difference between indictment and arraignment?

Indictment and arraignment are both steps in the criminal justice process, but they are distinct parts of the process and have different purposes. Indictment is a charging decision made by a grand jury, a group of citizens appointed by a court, that is convened to decide whether there is probable cause that a crime was committed and whether the person in question committed it. If the grand jury finds that there is enough evidence to charge the accused with a crime, it will issue an indictment. This step is done before the accused is put on trial, but the accused has no right to present a defense before the grand jury. Arraignment is the process of bringing an accused person before a court to answer the charges against them. At an arraignment, a judge reads the indictment or criminal complaint to the accused and asks how they plead. The accused usually pleads either guilty or not guilty, and the judge will then set a date for the trial. At the arraignment, the accused is informed of the charges against them and their right to have a trial by jury. In summary, indictment is when a grand jury formally charges someone with a crime, and arraignment is when the accused is formally informed of the charges and asked to plead guilty or not guilty before a judge.

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What is the difference between indictment and arraignment?

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