Daily AncestorIndictment
An indictment is a formal written charge of a crime, brought by a grand jury after hearing the evidence.
The prosecutor laid evidence before the grand jury. If the jurors found an adequate basis for criminal charges, they issued an indictment. No one could be tried for a serious crime without this formal notice of the charge.
Indictments are entered in superior or circuit court minutes. An indictment is an accusation, not a conviction; look further for the verdict.
As seen in a recordSuperior court minutes, 1800s
The grand jury return an indictment against Jacob Pruett for larceny
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Daily Ancestor. "Indictment." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/legal-land/indictment. Last checked 2026-10-12.