Rule · Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure
Fed. R. Crim. P. 3 — The Complaint
Fed. R. Crim. P. 3
- Type
- Rule
- Source
- Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure
- Jurisdiction
- Federal
- Date
- 2026-10-22
- Current through
- Nov 10, 2026 (Office of the Law Revision Counsel)
The complaint is a written statement of the essential facts constituting the offense charged. Except as provided in Rule 4.1, it must be made under oath before a magistrate judge or, if none is reasonably available, before a state or local judicial officer.
Citator
Fed. R. Crim. P. 3 — The Complaint is in force in the current edition of the Code, and nothing recorded condemns it.
The complaint is a written statement of the essential facts constituting the offense charged. Except as provided in Rule 4.1, it must be made under oath before a magistrate judge or, if none is reasonably available, before a state or local judicial officer.