Terms Used In Louisiana Code of Criminal Procedure 464

  • Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. Source:
  • 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.
  • Statute: A law passed by a legislature.

The indictment shall be a plain, concise, and definite written statement of the essential facts constituting the offense charged.  It shall state for each count the official or customary citation of the statute which the defendant is alleged to have violated.  Error in the citation or its omission shall not be ground for dismissal of the indictment or for reversal of a conviction if the error or omission did not mislead the defendant to his prejudice.