What is the legal term for the initial document that formally accuses someone of a crime?

The correct answer, indictment, refers to a formal charge or accusation of a serious crime, typically issued by a grand jury. This legal term is used in the context of felony offenses where it's important to ensure that there is enough evidence for the prosecution to proceed with a case. The grand jury reviews evidence presented by the prosecutor and decides whether there is sufficient basis to bring charges against the accused.

While information, complaint, and warrant are also legal documents related to criminal proceedings, they serve different purposes. Information is a formal accusation that does not require a grand jury and is typically used in jurisdictions that allow for charging decisions to be made by a prosecutor. A complaint is often the initial filing in criminal cases that outlines the charges but is not used for serious crimes in the same capacity as an indictment. A warrant, on the other hand, is an order issued by a judge or magistrate that authorizes law enforcement to take a specific action, like making an arrest or searching a property, but it does not in itself accuse someone of a crime.

Therefore, while all these terms are related to the criminal justice process, indictment specifically denotes the formal accusation for serious crimes after grand jury review, which is why it is regarded as the right answer in this context.