Charged vs. Indicted

[Joe Biden 2024]

This might not be the place for this, but I'm having a hard time telling the difference between charged and indicted. Can someone clear it up for me?

[Associate Justice PiT]

     The prosecutor can file charges, but indictments must be handed down by a grand jury. The grand jury is impaneled to hear the evidence against the accused and decide what charges should be presented, if any.

[SteveRogers]

In the Federal system, they are synonymous for all intents and purposes. All federal criminal charges must be indicted by a grand jury (though it is possible for the prosecutor to refuse to pursue a charge that the grand jury has issued a bill of indictment on).

In many states, prosecutors may charge defendants with misdemeanors by simply filing an information while felonies must be presented to a grand jury for indictment.

[Dereich]

In the Federal system, they are synonymous for all intents and purposes. All federal criminal charges must be indicted by a grand jury (though it is possible for the prosecutor to refuse to pursue a charge that the grand jury has issued a bill of indictment on).

In many states, prosecutors may charge defendants with misdemeanors by simply filing an information while felonies must be presented to a grand jury for indictment.

It goes beyond just misdemeanors in some states. In Florida we can file an information on any non-capital case.

[SteveRogers]

In the Federal system, they are synonymous for all intents and purposes. All federal criminal charges must be indicted by a grand jury (though it is possible for the prosecutor to refuse to pursue a charge that the grand jury has issued a bill of indictment on).

In many states, prosecutors may charge defendants with misdemeanors by simply filing an information while felonies must be presented to a grand jury for indictment.

It goes beyond just misdemeanors in some states. In Florida we can file an information on any non-capital case.

That must be nice.