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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>60512</law_id><section_number>19.2-216</section_number><catch_line>Definition of indictment, presentment and information</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>38.2-4614</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="19.2">Criminal Procedure</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="14">Presentments, Indictments and Informations</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="1">Necessity for Indictment, Etc</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>An indictment is a written accusation of <span class="dictionary">crime</span>, prepared by the attorney for the Commonwealth and returned &#x201C;a <span class="dictionary">true bill</span>&#x201D; upon the <span class="dictionary">oath</span> or affirmation of a legally impanelled <span class="dictionary">grand jury</span>.
		A <span class="dictionary">presentment</span> is a written accusation of <span class="dictionary">crime</span> prepared and returned by a <span class="dictionary">grand jury</span> from their own knowledge or observation, without any <span class="dictionary">bill of indictment</span> laid before them.
		An information is a written accusation of <span class="dictionary">crime</span> or a complaint for forfeiture of property or money or for imposition of a <span class="dictionary">penalty</span>, prepared and presented by a competent public official upon his <span class="dictionary">oath</span> of office.</p></section></text><history>1975, c. 495.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
