During impeachment, which body charges the official and which conducts the trial?

• A. The House charges; the Senate conducts the trial
• B. The Senate charges; the House conducts the trial
• C. The President charges; the Supreme Court conducts the trial
• D. The Supreme Court charges; the House conducts the trial

Answer: (A)

Impeachment involves two separate steps handled by two different parts of Congress: the charging and the trying. The House has the authority to accuse an official of misconduct by passing articles of impeachment—the charges. Once those charges are brought, the Senate takes on the role of the trial body, hearing the case and deciding whether to convict and remove from office. A conviction in the Senate requires a two-thirds vote.

For presidential impeachments, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court presides over the trial in the Senate, but the actual conduct of the trial remains with the Senate. This is why the pairing described—the House charging and the Senate conducting the trial—is the correct one.

So, charges come from the House, and the trial is conducted by the Senate.