Information

The communication of material facts for the first time.

4 M. & W. 24.

In French Law. The act or instrument which contains the depositions of witnesses against the accused.

Poth. Proc. Civ. § 2, art. 5.

In Practice. A criminal information is an accusation or a complaint exhibited against a person for some criminal offense. It differs principally from an indictment in this, that an indictment is found upon the oath of twelve men and an information is only the allegation of the officer who exhibits it.

4 Bl. Comm. 308.

It is a prosecution originating with an officer, but may originate with a private citizen,^ but its object is, not compensation to the informer, but solely the public advantage.

67 Mo. 379.

Informations "are of two sorts; first, those which are partly at the suit of the king and partly at that of a subject; and secondly, such as are only in the name of the king." And the last "are of two kinds; first those which are tijuly and properly his own suits, and filed ex officio by his own officer, the Attorney-General; and secondly, those in which, though the King is the nominal prosecutor, yet it is at the relation of some private person or common informer.

12 Conn. 452.

Criminal Informations are analogous to declarations for the redress of a personal injury, except that the latter are at the suit of a subject for the satisfaction of a private wrong, and the former are in the name of the King, for the punishment of offences affecting the interests of the public.

20 N. H. 296.

The process has not been formally put in motion by congress for misdemeanors, but is common in civil- prosecutions for penalties and forfeitures.

3 Story, Const. 659.

The information is usually made upon knowledge given by some other person than the officer, called the "relator." The term is also applied to the pleadmg by which proceedings by the government, INFORMATION IN THE NATURE OF A quo warranto. A proceeding against the usurper of a franchise or office.

See Quo Warranto.