filing charges
Bringing formal accusations
Filing charges is the formal act of bringing criminal accusations against someone through the legal system.
A prosecutor or district attorney files charges after reviewing evidence, typically following an arrest: The DA is filing charges against the suspect.
Private citizens don't file criminal charges directly—they report crimes, and authorities decide whether to proceed.
In civil matters, filing charges means initiating a lawsuit.
- arraignmentCharge-reading court session
- indictmentFormal charge from jury
- formal accusationOfficial criminal charge filed
- criminal complaintFormal accusation of offense
- complaintExpression of discontent
prosecutor · prosecuting attorney · defendant · summons · judge · jury · notarization · public defender · law enforcement agency · affidavit · deposition · plea · arrest warrant · booking process · court clerk · legal action · district attorney · motion
- criminal proceedingsarraignment, prosecution, plea hearing, sentencing hearing, preliminary hearing
- legal proceedingstrial, verdict, lawsuit, testimony, plea
- prosecutionprosecutor, district attorney, DA, prosecution, public prosecutors
- pretrialarraignment, bail hearing, bond hearing, booking, first appearance
- criminal trialarraignment, defense attorney, courtroom, criminal trial, prosecutor
- policingpatrol, police powers, arrests, police officer, arrest
filing chargespardoning
Forgiving an offense officially
exonerating · exoneration · clearing · acquittal · absolving
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