Former President Donald Trump has been indicted by a Manhattan grand jury over a hush money payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels. However, it is just an initial step towards what may be a prolonged legal battle. An indictment is a formal accusation by a grand jury of residents chosen at random that there is enough evidence to charge someone with a crime. In this particular case, a majority of the grand jury's 23 members agreed on an indictment, which means there is enough substantial evidence to support the charges against Trump. Unlike a trial where a unanimous verdict is required, a grand jury indictment only requires a simple majority vote. The grand jury hears testimonies and evidence only from select defense witnesses presented by the prosecutor, making it a one-sided arrangement that often leads to defense lawyers minimizing indictments as an argument against prosecutorial bias. An indictment is just an allegation and not a conviction; it is the prosecutor's first move in bringing a case to trial where the defense can answer questions and present evidence. Trump has not yet been convicted, and the case against him is likely to be a long legal battle.