South Carolina Code 14-7-1750. Indictment by state grand jury; sealed indictment
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Terms Used In South Carolina Code 14-7-1750
- clerk: as used in this chapter signifies the clerk of the court where the action is pending, unless otherwise specified. See South Carolina Code 14-7-30
- Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
- Grand jury: agreement providing that a lender will delay exercising its rights (in the case of a mortgage,
- Indictment: The formal charge issued by a grand jury stating that there is enough evidence that the defendant committed the crime to justify having a trial; it is used primarily for felonies.
- Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
- Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
- Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.
In order to return a "true bill" of indictment, twelve or more state grand jurors must find that probable cause exists for the indictment and vote in favor of it. Upon indictment by a state grand jury, the indictment must be returned to the presiding judge. If the presiding judge considers the indictment to be within the authority of the state grand jury and otherwise in accordance with the provisions of this article, he shall return the indictment by order to the county where venue is appropriate under South Carolina law for prosecution by the Attorney General or his designee. The presiding judge may direct that the indictment be kept secret until the defendant is in custody or has been released pending trial. Thereupon, the clerk of the state grand jury shall seal the indictment, and no person shall disclose the return of the indictment except when necessary for the issuance and execution of a warrant.