Criminal Law Glossary Arraignment — A proceeding during which a
judge informs the accused of the criminal charges against him or
her, asks the accused whether he or she has an attorney or wants
a court-appointed attorney, asks how the accused will plead to
the charges, determines whether to modify the initial amount of
bail and sets a schedule for future court dates. Bail — An
amount of money that the accused must post so that he or she can
get out of jail. If the accused shows up for future court dates,
the bail money is returned. If, however, the accused doesn’t
show up or flees, the court will keep the money and issue an
arrest warrant. Felony — Generally, a crime that is punishable
by imprisonment of more than one year. Grand Jury — The grand
jury decides whether there is sufficient evidence to indict a
suspect and continue the criminal proceedings against him or
her. The grand jury does not decide guilt or innocence.
Indictment — The formal process of charging a person with a
crime. Misdemeanor — General