{"id":352277,"date":"2023-12-08T11:52:09","date_gmt":"2023-12-08T16:52:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/criminal\/criminal-procedure\/how-are-criminal-charges-brought-against-someone.html"},"modified":"2023-12-08T11:52:09","modified_gmt":"2023-12-08T16:52:09","slug":"how-are-criminal-charges-brought-against-someone","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/criminal\/criminal-procedure\/how-are-criminal-charges-brought-against-someone.html","title":{"rendered":"How Are Criminal Charges Filed?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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How Are Criminal Charges Filed?<\/h1>\n
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\n By Sarah Williams, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Melissa Bender, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

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Prosecutors refrain from including extra details. Instead, they only include sufficient facts to indicate they have enough evidence for a jury trial.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n\n

Criminal law trials make for great TV. Dramatic illustrations of the criminal procedure show detective work and the arrest<\/a> before jumping to the trial<\/a>, but what happens before the trial date is just as important.<\/p>\r\n

This article discusses the three methods used to file charges against suspects, including:<\/p>\r\n