{"id":13765,"date":"2018-02-12T20:31:56","date_gmt":"2018-02-12T20:31:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/?page_id=13765"},"modified":"2018-05-22T00:20:10","modified_gmt":"2018-05-22T00:20:10","slug":"charging-instruments-any-of-three-formal-legal-documents-by-which-a-person-can-be-officially-charged-with-a-crime-an-indictment-information-or-presentment","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/?page_id=13765","title":{"rendered":"charging instrument – any of three formal legal documents used to officially charge someone with a crime"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 This page is continued from Criminal Proceedings<\/a> >>>> Preliminary Hearing or Grand Jury Proceedings<\/a>.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 This page is also continued from Legal Instruments<\/a>.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

********************<\/p>\n

charging instrument<\/span>:<\/span><\/strong>
\n(1951)<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Criminal procedure<\/em>. Any of three formal legal documents by which a person can be officially charged with a crime: an indictment<\/a>, information<\/a>, or presentment<\/a>.<\/strong> \u2014 aka accusatory instrument<\/span><\/strong><\/em>. [1]<\/span><\/p>\n

information<\/a><\/span> – a formal criminal charge made by a prosecutor without a grand-jury indictment; technically, an accusation of the commission of a crime, otherwise known as a complaint or affidavit.<\/span><\/strong> \u2014 aka<\/span> bill of informatio<\/em><\/span>n<\/span><\/strong>.<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

indictment<\/span><\/a> – a formal written accusation of a felony, made by a grand jury and presented to a court for prosecution against the accused person.<\/span>
\n<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n