Legal Definitions - hand up

Hand Up

In legal terms, to hand up means for a grand jury to formally deliver an indictment—a written accusation of a crime—to a criminal court. This action signifies that the grand jury has reviewed evidence and determined there is sufficient probable cause to believe a crime has been committed and that a particular person should be charged.

• Example 1: After weeks of reviewing evidence and hearing witness testimony in a complex embezzlement scheme, a grand jury concludes its proceedings. The foreperson of the grand jury then appears before the judge in open court to hand up the indictment against the accused financial executive.

  Explanation: This illustrates the grand jury formally presenting its decision to charge the executive with embezzlement to the criminal court, initiating the next phase of the legal process.

• Example 2: A special grand jury, convened to investigate allegations of widespread public corruption, has completed its investigation. The district attorney's office announces that the grand jury is prepared to hand up multiple indictments targeting several high-ranking city officials involved in a bribery scandal.

  Explanation: Here, the term describes the grand jury's formal act of delivering the criminal charges (indictments) against the city officials to the court, allowing the prosecution to proceed with those cases.

• Example 3: Following a thorough review of forensic evidence and witness statements related to a series of arsons, a grand jury determines there is enough probable cause to charge a suspect. They will then hand up an indictment for arson to the local criminal court, formally bringing the charges against the individual.

  Explanation: This example shows the grand jury's action of formally submitting the indictment for arson to the court, which is the necessary step to initiate a criminal trial against the suspect.