<P> A criminal charge is a formal accusation made by a governmental authority (usually the public prosecutor or the police) asserting that somebody has committed a crime . A charging document, which contains one or more criminal charges or counts, can take several forms, including: </P> <Ul> <Li> complaint </Li> <Li> information </Li> <Li> indictment </Li> <Li> citation </Li> <Li> traffic ticket </Li> </Ul> <P> The charging document is what generally starts a criminal case in court . But the procedure by which somebody is charged with a crime and what happens when somebody has been charged varies from country to country and even, within a country, from state to state . </P> <P> Before a person is proven guilty, the charge must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt . </P>

Who is the person being accused in court