"lay a charge" is a correct and commonly used phrase in written English.
It is typically used to refer to the act of formally accusing someone of a crime or wrongdoing. Example: The police were quick to lay a charge against the suspect in the robbery case.
"It cannot lay a charge, it cannot change a law.
"If after 16 months, if they still can't lay a charge on him, then shouldn't they let him go?" his father asked.
But when Penelope and I have offered to accompany them to the police, or urged them to lay a charge against 'person or persons unknown', a look of fear comes over them.
"Although it was not picked up by the umpires at the time, when the incident came to our attention subsequently, we felt it was our responsibility to lay a charge in this case because the ICC can't let such an obvious breach of this law pass without taking any action".
"But by far your biggest fear would be that if you were detected, the enemy would lay a charge.
It is expected the umpires will lay a charge against Du Plessis to match referee David Boon after the day's play, with an immediate hearing to follow.
In Cambodia, for example, the forensic test necessary to lay a rape charge costs two weeks' wages, while in Kenya a land claim in an inheritance case can cost $800 and extend across 17 different administrative stages.
His name appears on a list provided to VICE News by the Public Prosecution Service of Canada that, experts say, paints the most complete picture of who has been pursued under terror-related peace bonds, which are legal tools used to restrict an individual's movements when there may not be enough evidence to lay a criminal charge.
The Vietcong terrorist was convicted several weeks ago of having attempted to lay an explosive charge under a road bridge between downtown Saigon and the airport.
You wait half a decade for the European Union to lay a formal competition charge against Google, then it comes served with a side dish.
But behind this seemingly mundane charge lay a much bigger story.
