§ 401 Requisites of indictment or information.

When someone is charged with a crime, the formal charging document (called an indictment or information) has to include certain basic information. It must state which court is handling the case and list the names of the people involved, including the person being charged.

The document also has to describe what the person is accused of doing. This description needs to be written in plain, everyday language that clearly lays out the actions that make up the crime. The goal is to make sure the accused person can understand exactly what they're being charged with, so they know what they need to defend against in court.

This rule exists to protect people's basic right to know the charges against them. Without clear and specific information, someone couldn't properly prepare a defense or understand what the government claims they did wrong.