Legal Definitions - accusatory instrument

An accusatory instrument is a legal document that formally accuses someone of committing a crime. It is similar to a criminal complaint and must be signed by someone who has knowledge of the alleged criminal activity.

If the accusatory instrument is not properly given to the defendant, the case may be dismissed. The most common type of accusatory instrument is an indictment, but there are also alternative instruments for misdemeanors and infractions, such as tickets.

• An indictment is an example of an accusatory instrument. It is a formal document that accuses someone of committing a crime and is usually issued by a grand jury.
• A traffic ticket is another example of an accusatory instrument. It accuses someone of violating a traffic law and requires them to either pay a fine or appear in court.

These examples illustrate how an accusatory instrument is used to formally accuse someone of a crime or violation. They also show that there are different types of accusatory instruments for different types of offenses.