criminal charges
Prosecution's official claims
Criminal charges are formal accusations by a government authority that a person has committed a crime.
When someone is charged, they face prosecution and potential punishment if convicted.
A person may face criminal charges for theft, assault, or fraud.
Prosecutors file charges, press charges, or drop charges depending on the evidence.
To bring criminal charges against someone is to formally accuse them in the legal system.
- indictmentFormal charge from jury
- arraignmentCharge-reading court session
- felonySerious criminal offense
- convictionFirmly held belief
- misdemeanorLesser criminal charge
pressing charges · arrest · perp walk · booking photo · due process · bail · court date · prosecution · grand jury · presumption of innocence · burden of proof · Miranda rights · plea bargain · not guilty plea · defendant · legal counsel · infraction · embezzlement
- criminal justicearrest, jail, court, prison, guilty
- criminal trialarraignment, defense attorney, courtroom, prosecutor, charges
- criminal courtstrials, courtroom, verdicts, defendants, accused
- enforcementenforcement actions, crackdown, fines, enforcement agencies, penalties
- prosecutionprosecutor, district attorney, DA, prosecution, public prosecutors
- prosecutor's officeprosecutor, DA, district attorney, assistant DA, deputy prosecutor
criminal chargescivil complaint
Lawsuit's initiating document
civil lawsuit · civil suit · civil litigation · civil action · civil proceedings
criminal chargesacquittal
Formal clearing of charges
exoneration · not guilty verdict · charges dropped · dismissal · vindication