A criminal complaint is a document filed by law enforcement or a prosecuting attorney with a court to initiate a criminal case. It typically sets forth the factual allegations that the defendant has committed a crime. There are two types of criminal complaints: an Information and an Indictment. An Information is a formal document filed by a prosecutor in order to initiate a criminal case. It sets forth the factual allegations made against the defendant, including the criminal offenses and the essential elements of the alleged crime. The information must be signed by a prosecutor and approved by a judge before it is filed with the court. An Indictment is a formal document written by a grand jury that charges a person with one or more criminal offenses. It is usually based on evidence presented by a prosecutor and is voted on by the grand jury. Once an indictment is issued, the defendant is formally charged with the crime and the case proceeds to trial.