Criminal charges are formal accusations of criminal conduct made by a governmental authority against a person or entity. Criminal charges are usually filed or initiated by a city, county, state, or the federal government, acting through a public prosecutor—also known as a municipal prosecutor, county attorney, district attorney, state attorney general, or United States Attorney (for federal crimes). Criminal charges range from low-level misdemeanors such as traffic tickets to first degree felonies such as capital murder.

The charging document in which the specific crime(s) alleged to have been committed are specified may be referred to as (1) a complaint; (2) an information; (3) an indictment; (4) a citation; or (5) a traffic ticket.

In Pennsylvania, criminal charges are formal allegations made by the government that an individual or entity has engaged in criminal conduct. These charges can be initiated by various levels of government, including city, county, state, or federal authorities, and are prosecuted by officials such as municipal prosecutors, county attorneys, district attorneys, or the United States Attorney for federal offenses. The severity of charges in Pennsylvania ranges from misdemeanors, like minor traffic violations, to serious felonies, including capital murder. The specific criminal charges are detailed in a charging document, which may take the form of a complaint, an information, an indictment, a citation, or a traffic ticket. A complaint is typically used for initiating charges in minor cases or as a precursor to a more formal charging process. An information is a formal charge filed by a prosecutor without a grand jury indictment. An indictment is a formal charge issued by a grand jury. Citations and traffic tickets are used for minor infractions, often involving traffic offenses.