The law-courts gradually superseded most of the ancient judicial functions of the council and the assembly, but the council continued to hold a strict scrutiny ([Greek: dokimasia]) of candidates for office or for other privileges, while the council itself, as well as all other officials, had to give account ([Greek: euthyna]) on ceasing to hold office. The council also retained the right to deal with extraordinary crimes against the state. It was open to any citizen to bring such crimes to the knowledge of the council in writing. The technical term for this information, denunciation or impeachment was _eisangelia_ ([Greek: eisangelia]). The council could inflict a fine of 500 _drachmae_ (L20), or, in important cases, refer the matter either to a law-court, as in the trial of Antiphon (Thuc. viii. 68), or to the ecclesia, as in that of Alcibiades (415 B.C.), and the strategi in command at Arginusae (406; Xen. _Hell._ i. 7. 19). The term [Greek: eisangelia] was also applied to denunciations brought against persons who wronged the orphan or the widow, or against a public arbitrator who had neglected his duty (Dem. _Meidias_, 86 f.). Probole. A "presentation" of criminal information ([Greek: probole]) might be laid before the assembly with a view to obtaining its preliminary sanction for bringing the case before a judicial tribunal. Such was the mode of procedure adopted against persons who had brought malicious, groundless or vexatious accusations, or who had violated the sanctity of certain public festivals. The leading example of the former is the trial of the accusers who prompted the people to put to death the generals who had won the Battle of Arginusae (Xen. _Hell._ i. 7. 34); and, of the latter, the proceedings of Demosthenes against Meidias. Classes of legal actions. Legal actions ([Greek: dikai]) were classified as private ([Greek: idiai]) or public ([Greek: demosiai]). The latter were also described as [Greek: graphai] or "prosecutions," but some [Greek: graphai] were called "private," when the state was regarded as only indirectly injured by a wrong done to an individual citizen (Dem. xxi. 47). A private suit could only be brought by the man directly interested, or, in the case of a slave, a ward or an alien, by the master, guardian or patron respectively; and, if the suit were successful, the sum claimed generally went to the plaintiff. Public actions may be divided into ordinary criminal cases, and offences against the state. As a rule they could be instituted by any person who possessed the franchise, and the penalty was paid to the state. If the prosecutor failed to obtain one-fifth of the votes, he had to pay a fine of 1000 _drachmae_ (L40), and lost the right of ever bringing a similar action.