Court Reporter Practice Exam

When a grand jury issues a "no bill", what does it signify?

1. They want to proceed with charges

2. They find probable cause

3. There is insufficient evidence to indict

4. They require more jurors to agree

The correct answer is: There is insufficient evidence to indict

When a grand jury issues a "no bill," it signifies that there is insufficient evidence to indict a suspect. This term indicates that, after reviewing the evidence presented, the grand jury does not believe there is enough substantial proof to move forward with formal charges. The grand jury's role is to evaluate whether there is probable cause to indict someone, and a "no bill" reflects a conclusion that the evidence does not support such a legal action. The other options pertain to different aspects of the grand jury process. For example, issuing charges would mean they found enough evidence, which contradicts the notion of a "no bill." Similarly, finding probable cause would lead to an indictment rather than a "no bill." The idea of requiring more jurors to agree doesn’t apply to the decision-making process of a grand jury in the context of a "no bill," as they operate based on the evidence rather than the number of dissents.