What is the legal process of charging a person with a crime known as?

The legal process of charging a person with a crime is known as indictment. An indictment is a formal accusation that a person has committed a crime, which is often initiated by a grand jury. This procedure is a critical step in the criminal justice process as it formally establishes that there is enough evidence to bring a case against the accused.

Arraignment, while it involves bringing the accused into court to hear the charges and enter a plea, does not represent the initial charging process. Sentencing occurs later in the judicial process, after a conviction has been secured, and prosecution refers to the overall process of bringing and conducting the case in court following the initial charges. Thus, the key term that captures the essence of formally charging someone with a crime is indictment.