先来看一下这一段关于no bill和true bill的英文解释:
When a Grand Jury decides the prosecution has provided enough evidence to show probable cause, they give a true bill which actually indicts the defendant, but if a Grand Jury thinks the prosecution did not show probable cause, they issue a no bill which forces the prosecution to drop the charges.
根据上一段英文解释,可以了解到这是大陪审团〔grand jury〕认为证据不足时,在检察官的起诉书背面批写的字句,以前常写ignoramus一词,现在则通常写no bill,not a true bill,no true bill或not found。意思是「查无实据,不予起诉」。相反,如果大陪审团认为「查明属实,应予起诉」,则在检察官的起诉书背面批写「true bill」
因而,no bill可被译为「查无实据,不予起诉」,而true bill则可被译为「查明属实,应予起诉」。
此外,与no bill 相同的not found除了可以表示不予起诉外,在法律中还有“无法送达”之意:
not found
(1)不予起诉。这是大陪审团认为证据不足时在检察官的起诉书背面批写的字句,意思是「查无实据,不予起诉」;与no bill, not a true bill, no true bill, ignoramus同义。
(2)无法送达。这是官员在无法将传票等文件送达给被告或其他可以被送达之人而将文件交回时的回呈用语。根据一些法律,「无法送达」是公告送达〔service by publication〕的前提条件。
以下为相关双语示例,供参考:
Grand Jury proceedings were established in accordance with due process of law by the 5th and 14th Amendments of the United States Constitution. Many states indict through the Grand Jury process, even though this is only required for the federal government. After reviewing the sufficiency of the cases’ evidence, grand jurors will either issue a True Bill or a No Bill. If a True Bill is issued, the Grand Jury files an indictment, which is then transferred to the Superior Court’s calendar for a jury trial. If there is not enough supporting evidence for the alleged crime, the Grand Jury endorses a “No Bill” which results in the charges being dismissed.
大陪审团程序根据美国宪法第5修正案和第14修正案的正当法律程序设立。许多州通过大陪审团程序进行起诉,尽管这只是联邦政府的要求。对案件证据的充分性进行审查后,大陪审团通常会发布予以起诉或不予起诉的命令。如果发布的是予以起诉,大陪审团将提交起诉书,将之移交最高法院进行陪审团审判。如果没有足够的证据支持指控的罪行,大陪审团将做出“不予起诉”的决定,驳回指控。