Despite investigations in London, Los Angeles and New York, the accounts did not lead to a criminal prosecution, until two weeks ago, when the Manhattan district attorney, Cyrus R. Vance Jr., became the first prosecutor to say he had enough evidence to arrest Mr. Weinstein.

The lead prosecutor, Joan Illuzzi, handed a copy of indictment to the defense along with a voluntary disclosure report, which lists the evidence against Mr. Weinstein.

Mr. Brafman said he intended to challenge the indictment on several grounds, including how it was presented to the grand jury. Justice James M. Burke said he would decide the pretrial motions by Sept. 20, when Mr. Weinstein is scheduled to return to court.

Manhattan prosecutors have said they may try to persuade the judge to let them present evidence about past allegations of sexual misconduct by Mr. Weinstein that are not charged in the indictment. This would be done to establish a pattern of behavior, much as prosecutors did to win a conviction against Bill Cosby at his sexual assault trial in Pennsylvania.

But Mr. Brafman said he would fight to keep that evidence out. Under New York case law, it is difficult for prosecutors in the state to introduce evidence at trial about earlier uncharged crimes.

The grand jury that handed up the indictment on Wednesday is still hearing from witnesses and could add charges. Prosecutors are also digging into the books of Mr. Weinstein’s companies, searching for evidence of financial crimes.

Investigators continue to interview women who have said Mr. Weinstein forced them to have sex with him. On Monday, for instance, prosecutors met with Melissa Thompson, an entrepreneur who asserted in a lawsuit filed on Friday that Mr. Weinstein overpowered her and raped her during what was supposed to be a sales pitch at the TriBeCa Grand Hotel in September 2011, according to a person with knowledge of the meeting who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an open investigation.