DU legal eagles...What's a True Bill?

[cynatnite]

What does it mean when a Grand Jury returns a True Bill?

Thanks!

[CottonBear]

1. True bill = a Grand Jury indictment n/t

[unhappycamper]

2. definition

true bill
n. the written decision of a Grand Jury (signed by the Grand Jury foreperson) that it has heard sufficient evidence from the prosecution to believe that an accused person probably committed a crime and should be indicted. Thus, the indictment is sent to the court.

Link:
http://dictionary.law.com/default2.asp?selected=2168&bold=%7C%7C%7C%7C

[napi21]

3. It's the opposite of a no-bill which means no indictments.

A no-bill means they just close up shop and go home.

[skids]

4. Well...

A "no bill" means that a single count was discarded. A GJ can return a mix of true and no bills.

[unblock]

5. it's one of the two options the grand jury has to decide on each charge

true bill = there is probable cause that a trial would produce a guilty verdict and therefore the indictment is confirmed for further legal processing

no true bill = there is NOT probably cause and therefore the indictment is rejected. the prosecutor is theoretically free to seek a different indictment or even to re-indict on the same charge, but obviously this is rare.


it is the logical parallel to the choice of the petit jury (that what the trial jury is called), namely, guilty and not guilty.

[cynatnite]

6. Here is why I asked:

I recieved this letter today in the mail. I can't go into the details because of the sensitivity of the matter. It's almost ironic given what's going on in current events. :)

[Geoff R. Casavant]

7. If you received that

then you have my sympathy for whatever happened to you.