Here’s how indictments work in the United States’ legal system.

Unlike a criminal trial, where a jury has to reach a unanimous verdict, a grand jury can issue an indictment with a simple majority. Grand jurors hear evidence and testimony only from prosecutors and the witnesses that they choose to present. Outside Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, in March.Credit…Sydney Walsh for The New York Times An indictment, whether it is handed up in federal or state court, is a formal accusation — not a conviction — and it is among the first moves a prosecutor can make to bring a case to trial.

When a person is indicted in a […]

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