Virginia § 19.2-216 Definition of indictment, presentment and information

Virginia Statutes

§ 19.2-216 — Definition of indictment, presentment and information

Virginia § 19.2-216

Title 19.2CRIMINAL PROCEDURE

Ch. 14PRESENTMENTS, INDICTMENTS AND INFORMATIONS

Art. 1NECESSITY FOR INDICTMENT, ETC

This text of Virginia § 19.2-216 (Definition of indictment, presentment and information) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Virginia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

Va. Code Ann. § 19.2-216 (2026).

Text

An indictment is a written accusation of crime, prepared by the attorney for the Commonwealth and returned "a true bill" upon the oath or affirmation of a legally impanelled grand jury.

A presentment is a written accusation of crime prepared and returned by a grand jury from their own knowledge or observation, without any bill of indictment laid before them.

An information is a written accusation of crime or a complaint for forfeiture of property or money or for imposition of a penalty, prepared and presented by a competent public official upon his oath of office.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

An indictment is a written accusation of crime, prepared by the attorney for the Commonwealth and returned "a true bill" upon the oath or affirmation of a legally impanelled grand jury.

A presentment is a written accusation of crime prepared and returned by a grand jury from their own knowledge or observation, without any bill of indictment laid before them.

An information is a written accusation of crime or a complaint for forfeiture of property or money or for imposition of a penalty, prepared and presented by a competent public official upon his oath of office.