What does the term "grand jury indictment" refer to?

The term "grand jury indictment" refers to a legal process where a group of citizen jurors, known as a grand jury, reviews evidence presented by a prosecutor to determine whether there is sufficient basis to bring criminal charges against an individual. This process is fundamentally rooted in the concept of citizen involvement in the judicial system, as the grand jury is typically made up of community members who examine whether probable cause exists for the charges.

In this context, the grand jury does not determine guilt or innocence; instead, its role is to evaluate the evidence and decide if it warrants a formal charge or indictment. Once the grand jury issues an indictment, the accused individual can then face trial based on the evidence presented.

The other options contrast with this definition. A preliminary hearing pertains to minor offenses without the involvement of a grand jury. A formal charge initiated by a prosecutor typically refers to an information filing in jurisdictions that do not use grand jury indictments. An appeal process in criminal cases addresses post-trial matters and is unrelated to the grand jury's function of initiating charges.