INFORMATION, in English law, is a formal accusation of a crime committed, preferred ex officio by the attorneygeneral or solicitor-general in the Queen’s Bench without the intervention of a grand jury. It lies only for misdemeanour and not for treason, felonies, or misprision of treason (see Indictment) ; and it is properly employed against such “enormous misdemeanours” as peculiarly tend to disturb or endanger the Queen’s government, e.g., seditions, obstructing the Queen’s officers in the execution of their duties, &c. In the form of the proceedings the attorneygeneral is said to “come into the court of our lady the Queen before the Queen herself at Westminster, and gives the court there to understand and be informed that, &c.” Then follows the statement of the offence as in an indictment. The information is filed in the crown office without the leave of the court. An information may also be filed at the instance of a private prosecutor for misdemeanours not affecting the government, but being peculiarly flagrant and pernicious. Thus criminal informations have been granted for bribing or attempting to bribe public functionaries, and for aggravated libels on public or private persons. Leave to file an information is obtained after an application to show cause, founded on a sworn statement of the material facts of the case.