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 Vermont, criminal charges are formal allegations of wrongdoing brought by the government against individuals or entities. These charges can be initiated by various levels of government, including municipal, county, state, or federal authorities, and are prosecuted by officials such as municipal prosecutors, county attorneys, state's attorneys, or the U.S. Attorney for federal offenses. The severity of charges in Vermont ranges from minor misdemeanors, like traffic violations, to serious felonies, including murder. The specific criminal charges are detailed in charging documents, which may be called a complaint, an information, an indictment, a citation, or a traffic ticket, depending on the nature of the offense and the stage of the criminal process. For example, misdemeanors are often charged by citation or complaint, while felonies typically require an indictment or information after a preliminary hearing or grand jury proceeding.