An indictment is a formal charge issued by

• A. A police officer
• B. A judge
• C. A grand jury
• D. The court clerk

Answer: (C)

An indictment is a formal charge brought by a grand jury after weighing evidence presented by the prosecutor. This process acts as a check against unfounded accusations and starts a felony prosecution. The police investigate and arrest, but they don’t issue charges; a judge oversees court proceedings and may issue warrants but does not issue indictments; the court clerk handles filing and records. In systems that use grand juries, the indictment is often described as a “true bill.”