What is a direct indictment?

A direct indictment is an official written instrument that goes straight to trial before the completion of an inquiry thus bypassing the initial hearing, as stated by USLegal. This is a formal charge that is usually very powerful and it is rarely used.

Under the law, a direct indictment is viewed as a legal method because there is no legal requirement for filing a charge prior to the starting of a criminal trial, as stated by LegalMatch. This method is only applied during special circumstances. The indictment may be kept in secret to protect the key witnesses of the case or the victims.