What happens now that Trump is indicted? His arraignment. Here's what to know

Former President Donald Trump was indicted by a federal grand jury on Thursday related to charges involving classified documents that were seized from his Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago last year.

This indictment marks the second time the ex-president has been indicted after criminal charges were filed against him in March surrounding his hush-money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during his 2016 presidential campaign.

The trial for that case is set in New York on March 25, 2024.

Trump's arraignment for the latest charges are set for June 12. Here is what happens next.

What does indictment mean?

An indictment is a formal charging document that’s used when it’s believed a person committed a crime. It includes charges against a person and should be filed before a case can move forward in a court, David Weinstein, a former federal and state prosecutor, previously told USA TODAY.

An indictment means a grand jury decided that there’s “more likely than not” enough evidence – based on testimony – to move forward with charging a person, Weinstein said. In a federal court, all cases proceed via indictment.

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What is the difference between being charged or indicted?

The terms “indicted” and “charged” are often used interchangeably to describe a formal accusation of a crime against a person, but each can have slightly different meanings depending on the legal system and the jurisdiction.

The Department of Justice describes an indictment as a formal notice filed by a grand jury against a person who is believed to have committed a crime. The indictment contains basic information about the charges against the person. Indictments are primarily used for felonies.

A charge isn’t quite as specific and simply describes the law believed to have been broken by the defendant.

What is the indictment process?

Prosecutors may choose to present a case to a grand jury based on information regarding a crime presented to them by investigators. For potential felony charges, prosecutors will present evidence to a grand jury, which is an impartial group of citizens, along with an outline of the case. Witnesses may be called to testify during this process.

Once the grand jury hears the evidence, they will vote in secret on whether they believe the evidence presented to them is strong enough to charge the individual. If they decide not to charge a person then no indictment is filed.

All proceedings and statements presented to a grand jury are sealed, which means that the only people present during the process know the evidence presented to the grand jury.

The DOJ states that grand juries are a constitutional requirement for some crimes so that the citizens involved don’t know the defendant and can therefore make an unbiased decision based solely on the evidence presented to them.

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What happens after an indictment?

Defendants have the right to legal representation and can choose to hire a lawyer or be represented by a public defender. The next step in the legal process is the arraignment and initial hearing.

On or around the time the defendant is arrested, they are brought before a magistrate judge for an initial hearing where they will learn more about their rights, the charges brought against them, asked to plead guilty or not guilty and when the judge decides whether or not they will be jailed or released until the trial, according to the DOJ.

What determines whether someone will be jailed or released?

There are several factors that a judge will use before deciding whether to grant bail. They will account for how long a defendant has lived in an area, if they have nearby family, if they have a prior criminal record, if they have threatened any witnesses in the case and if they pose a potential danger to the community.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Trump's indictment has many asking what's next? Here's what to know