New York legal term
Misdemeanor complaint in New York Criminal Law
Current through 2026 New York legislative session
In New York criminal law, “Misdemeanor complaint” is a term defined by statute rather than by its everyday meaning. Its statutory definition — quoted verbatim below — controls how the term is applied throughout the New York criminal code.
What does “Misdemeanor complaint” mean in New York criminal law?
"Misdemeanor complaint" means a verified written accusation by a person, more fully defined and described in article one hundred, filed with a local criminal court, which charges one or more defendants with the commission of one or more offenses, at least one of which is a misdemeanor and none of which is a felony, and which serves to commence a criminal action but which may not, except upon the defendant's consent, serve as a basis for prosecution of the offenses charged therein. 8. (N.Y. Criminal Procedure Law § 1.20)
Statutes defining or using this term
Related terms in the same statutes
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.