A federal indictment charges a person with a crime after a grand jury reviews evidence. The defendant is arrested and detained, unless they can post bail. A bail hearing determines if the defendant is a flight risk. A preliminary hearing follows, where the defendant pleads guilty or not guilty. A plea deal may be offered. If the defendant pleads not guilty, a criminal trial follows, and a jury decides guilt. If found guilty, a judge decides the sentence.
In the United States, a federal indictment is a written statement formally charging a person with a crime. This is usually done by a grand jury after they have reviewed the evidence and decided there is enough to try a person for the crime. After a federal indictment, the defendant is arrested and detained, unless he can post bail. Then he will plead not guilty or guilty. If you plead not guilty, you usually go to trial.
After a federal indictment, if an accused person has not already been detained, law enforcement agencies will try to locate and arrest them. In many cases, an arrest warrant will be issued. This is a document that officially states that police officers can and will arrest him. When the defendant has been arrested, he can then go before a judge for a bail hearing.
During the bail hearing, a judge will review the details of the case and determine whether the defendant is a serious flight risk. In cases of particularly violent or repeated crimes, the defendant may be denied bail. Other times, the judge will set an amount the defendant must pay to get out of jail, known as the bail amount.
The next step after a federal indictment and bail hearing is usually a preliminary hearing known as a federal post-complaint indictment or indictment. This is a short hearing in which the defendant is formally read the details of the crimes he is accused of. He is then given the option to plead guilty or not guilty.
A person may choose to plead guilty due to an overwhelming amount of evidence against him. Sometimes, federal prosecutors may even offer him a plea deal or plea deal. With a plea deal, prosecutors typically offer to charge the defendant with a lesser crime or impose a lighter sentence in exchange for pleading guilty.
Defendants who choose to plead not guilty usually go through a criminal trial. During this trial, prosecutors will present evidence against the defendant, including any eyewitnesses and forensic evidence. The defendant’s lawyers will also be able to explain their reasons, presenting evidence in defense of the accused.
When both sides have presented all of their evidence, a jury will deliberate before deciding whether the defendant is guilty. If found guilty, a judge will then decide on a sentence. This can include hefty fines, along with jail time. Defendants who have been found not guilty are free to leave.
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