What constitutes a superior accusatory instrument?

• A. Indictment
• B. Information
• C. Complaint
• D. Warrant

Answer: (A)

In New York, a felony case in the higher, or supreme, court begins with a grand jury. The grand jury reviews evidence and, if there’s probable cause, returns a formal charging document called an indictment. This instrument is issued by the grand jury and is used to prosecute in the superior court, which is why it’s described as the superior accusatory instrument. Other charging documents like a complaint or information are issued without a grand jury and are used in different contexts, and a warrant is merely an arrest or search order, not a charging document. So the indictment is the superior accusatory instrument.