Prosecutor

A lawyer or public official who brings criminal charges on behalf of the state and presents the case against an accused person in court.

Criminal charge: A formal accusation that a person committed a crime. The prosecutor initiates a case by filing or presenting criminal charges.
Criminal justice system: The institutions and procedures through which societies investigate, adjudicate, and sanction crime. Prosecutors operate within this system alongside police, courts, and corrections.
Prosecutorial discretion: A prosecutor's authority to decide whether and how to pursue a criminal case. It explains why prosecutors can decline charges, choose counts, or offer plea agreements.
Wrongful conviction: A criminal conviction of a person who did not commit the offense or was convicted through a serious miscarriage of justice. Misconduct or error by prosecutors can contribute to convictions later overturned.
Burden of proof: The obligation to establish a claim to a specified level of certainty. Prosecutors must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt in criminal trials.
Public prosecutor: A government lawyer authorized to bring criminal cases on behalf of the public. This is the common institutional form of the role in many legal systems.
Private prosecution: A criminal prosecution initiated by a private person or organization rather than a public prosecutor. It contrasts public prosecution with systems that permit private parties to bring criminal cases.
Prosecutorial misconduct: Improper conduct by a prosecutor that violates legal or ethical duties in a criminal case. It can undermine a fair trial and lead to sanctions or reversal of a conviction.
Brady disclosure: The prosecution's constitutional duty in the United States to disclose material exculpatory evidence to the defense. This duty constrains prosecutors even when undisclosed evidence would weaken their case.
Defense attorney: A lawyer who represents a person accused of a crime and protects that person's legal rights. The defense attorney contests the prosecutor's allegations on behalf of the accused.

Linked from 8 pages