Commencement of action

Commencement of action is the formal procedure by which legal proceedings are initiated. Commencement of civil lawsuits begins when the plaintiff files the complaint with the court.^[1] Criminal proceedings are typically commenced by a government prosecutor. In many U.S. jurisdictions, depending on the rules, prosecutors may have the option to commence a criminal action by filing the petition directly with the court or by seeking an indictment from a grand jury.

See also

• Petition
• Cause of action
• Federal Rules of Civil Procedure
• Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure
• Comminatory