A valid signed indictment is a jurisdictional precondition to the making of an order for trial by judge alone under s 420D(1) of the Criminal Procedure Act 2009 (Vic). An unsigned indictment is invalid and does not constitute 'charges in an indictment' for the purposes of that section. The phrase 'each accused' in s 420D(1)(b) means each accused named in the indictment before the court, not each accused the prosecution intends to try jointly; the public interest in joint trials is relevant to the 'interests of justice' criterion in s 420D(1)(d), not the consent requirement.
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