Complaint
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Plain-English Meaning
In criminal court, the initial charging document that starts a case. It states what crime the defendant is accused of and the basic facts supporting the accusation. In civil court, a complaint is the document that begins a lawsuit and states what the plaintiff is claiming and what relief they're seeking.
Legal Context
In New York criminal court, a criminal court complaint (also called a misdemeanor complaint) is a sworn statement by a person with first-hand knowledge of the alleged crime — typically the arresting officer or the alleged victim. It serves as the accusatory instrument at arraignment. For misdemeanor prosecutions to proceed to trial, the complaint must be converted to an information (supported by non-hearsay facts). In civil court, a complaint outlines the parties, the facts, the legal claims, and the remedy sought.
Real-Life Example
After an alleged assault outside a bar, the victim went to the police precinct and gave a sworn statement describing the attack. The officer drafted a criminal court complaint based on that statement, naming the accused and listing the charges. That document was filed with the court and used at the defendant's arraignment the next morning.
Related Terms
Source
Based on N.Y. CPL §§ 100.05, 100.10. Original B-Legal plain-language explanation.
N.Y. CPL §§ 100.05, 100.10
Definitions are simplified for education. Legal meanings vary by jurisdiction, context, and case facts. This definition is original B-Legal content and is not affiliated with or derived from any proprietary legal dictionary.