Accuse

Defined in 4 dictionaries — Bouvier (1914), Black's (1910), Black's (1891), Anderson (1889)

Bouvier's Law Dictionary and Concise Encyclopedia

John Bouvier; revised by Francis Rawle · 1914

To charge or impute the corncm of crime or immoral or disgraceful conduct or official delinquency. It does not necessarily import the charge of a crime by judicial procedure; State v. South, 5 Rich. (S. C.) 489, 493; Com. v. O'Brien. 12 Cush. (Mass.) 84; Robbins v. Smith, 47 Conn. 182; 1 C. & P. 479. See People v. Braman, 30 Mich. 4G0, where the court was divided as to the meaning of the term, Cooley, C. J., and Ghristiancy, J., holding that it meant any public accusation of crime as well as a formal complaint, and Graves and Campbell, J J., contra; and Com. v. Cawood, 2 Va. Cas. 527 where, Barbour, J., dissenting, it was held that one is not accused until indicted.

Black's Law Dictionary

Henry Campbell Black, M.A. · 1910

To bring a formal charge against a person, to the effect that he is guilty of a crime or punishable offense, before a court or magistrate having jurisdiction to inquire into the alleged crime. People v. Frey, 112 Mich. 251, 70 N. W. 548; People v. Braman, 30 Mich. 460; Castle v. Houston, 19 Kan. 426, 27 Am. Itep. 127; Gordon v. State, 102 Ga. 673, 29 S. E. 444; Pen. Code Texas, 1895, art. 240. In its popular sense "accusation" applies to all derogatory charges or imputations, whether or not they relate to a punishable legal offense, and however made, whether orally, by newspaper, or otherwise. State v. South. 5 Rich. Law (S. 0.) 489; Com. v. Andrews, 132 Mass. 263; People v. Braman, 30 Mich. 460. But in legal phraseology it ls limited to such accusations as have taken shape in a prosecution. United States v. Patterson, 150 U. S. 65, 14 Sup. Ct. 20, 37 In Ed. 999.

A Dictionary of Law

Henry Campbell Black · 1891

To bring a formal charge of crime against a person, before a competent court or officer. 30 Mich. 468. See 5 Rich. 492.

A Dictionary of Law

William C. Anderson · 1889

To charge with violation of law; specifically, to charge with criminal misconduct. See Ac(JUSARE. Accusation. A charge that one has committed a misdemeanor or crime; also, the act of preferring such a charge. "To accuse" is to bring a charge against one before some court or officer; and the person thus charged is " the accused." i A threat to accuse of a crime does not refer to accusing by way of railing, or slander, or bearing false witness under a separate accusation made by others, but the institution or participation in the institution of a criminal charge before some one held out as competent to entertain such a charge in lawful course." See Crime; Examinatioh, 8; Indictment; Statement, 1.