Arrest and Charging
Arrest and charging is the stage in which police take a person into custody and prosecutors decide what accusations to bring. It includes arrest warrants, booking, formal charges, grand jury indictments, and the first court appearance. Police, prosecutors, grand juries, and judges are involved, and the Constitution limits what they may do.
People usually ask when police may arrest someone, what rights apply at the time of arrest, how charges are chosen, what a grand jury does, and what an arraignment or indictment means for the path of a case.
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All Articles on Arrest and Charging
Inside the Grand Jury: The Citizens Who Check Prosecutorial Power
The jury refused to charge them.
Your Right to Know Criminal Charges: When Police Must Tell You What You’re Arrested For
The scene plays out countless times on television: flashing lights, the sharp command to "put your hands behind your back," and the click of…