Once a case has been charged and trial preparation begins, the prosecutor is responsible for determining their own case strategy for trial and for making a decision as to an appropriate plea offer. In order to be successful, the prosecutor may have to educate themselves about an area of science or a profession that is unfamiliar.
THE PROSECUTOR The prosecutor's role: Is to assist the court to arrive at the truth; Is to do justice between the community and the accused; Is to act according to the law and the dictates of fairness;and Excludes any notion of winning or losing.
Prosecuting attorneys are the first to speak when a trial opens, laying out the case against the accused. They introduce and interview witnesses to present evidence that the accused is guilty as charged beyond a reasonable doubt. During the defense phase of the trial, prosecutors cross-examine witnesses introduced by attorneys for the accused.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE PROSECUTOR AND THE DEFENSE ATTORNEY The prosecutor and the defense attorney have the duty to object to the judge when the other side is violating proper courtroom procedure. An objection prevents illegal questioning 17
From investigation of crimes to handling post-conviction appeals and writs, the prosecutor’s job is to do justice. Prosecutors are lawyers who investigate, charge, and prosecute (take to trial) people whom they think have committed a crime. In the federal system, United States Attorneys are appointed by the President to run regional offices;
The prosecutor decides which crimes to charge. The most important check on this power is the requirement that the accusations be supported by “ probable cause ”—the legal standard that will spare a person from prosecution unless it’s more likely than not that a crime was committed and the defendant committed it.
The prosecutor can also negotiate a plea with a suspect who, in exchange for pleading guilty to a lesser crime and agreeing to testify against others, will be rewarded with a light sentence. All of these decisions involve the prosecutor’s judgment.
The Prosecutor’s Role at Sentencing. While it’s the court’s role to impose a sentence, that sentence (a specific sentence or a range) is set by the offense that the defendant stands convicted of. Consequently, the judge will be constrained by the charges that the prosecutor has elected to bring against the defendant.
Most criminal appeals and writs are lost by the defendants, and most are handled routinely by the prosecutor’s office. But now and then the prosecutor, when examining the arguments put forth by the appellant, decides that the appeal or the writ has merit.
Prosecutors are generally immune from prosecution for their advocacy decisions, but they are still subject to rules of professional conduct. Bodies, like their state bar agencies and the Department of Justice’s Office of Professional Responsibilities, examine claims of prosecutorial misconduct and poor judgment.
While it’s the court’s role to impose a sentence, that sentence (a specific sentence or a range) is set by the offense that the defendant stands convicted of. Consequently, the judge will be constrained by the charges that the prosecutor has elected to bring against the defendant. Even if the defendant beats some of the charges or ends up convicted of lesser offenses, the court’s power has been circumscribed to some degree by the initial charging decision.
A Judge has several duties. First, he or she is to keep the case moving. He or she makes sure that the two parties (the prosecutor and the defense) do what they are required to do. For example, the Judge makes sure that the prosecutor turns over copies of all of the evidence to the defense. Additionally, the Judge determines if you are going ...
A 402 Conference is where the prosecutor and the defense attorney obtain the Judge’s opinion on what a fair sentence would be. In addition to the above duties, it is the Judge that decides the law that applies to your case. The Judge also applies the law to the case.
A State’s Attorney is the agency that brings the criminal charges against you. The State is the entity that can decide to file more charges or reduce the charges against you.
A defense attorney is the person that represents you in court. Just as the State of Illinois has an attorney in court trying to put you jail, a defense attorney is your advocate trying to get the case dismissed or to get the best possible disposition for you.
prosecutors traditionally have been divided among several functions within the justice system. For example, most civil law jurisdictions require prosecution if the evidence is sufficient, and require that a judge approve a decision to charge an individual with a crime. Until recently, it was the police who decided what cases to bring in England. In the United States, the decision to either charge or dismiss the case by declining to bring formal charges is within the prosecutor's power and discretion.
The grand jury is a particularly powerful tool at the disposal of prosecutors in about half of U.S. jurisdictions. A grand jury consists of a group of citizens that hears complaints and accusations brought by the prosecutor in criminal cases.
Traditionally, prosecutors have used their intelligence and creativity not to manage, but rather to handle complex matters of law and justice —matters that may be further convoluted by competing community attitudes and local politics.
It is an important function of the prosecutor to seek to reform and improve the administration of the criminal justice system. When inadequacies or injustices in legal system come to the prosecutor’s attention, he or she should pursue in efforts for remedial action in furtherance of a more fair system of justice.
What is the Role of the Prosecution in a Criminal Case? The United States has what is known as an “adversarial judicial system” – in other words, criminal cases are contests between two opposing sides, the prosecution and the defense, which ensures that evidence and legal arguments will be fairly presented to the court by both sides.
Contrary to popular belief, the prosecutor in a criminal case should not be out to get as many convictions as possible, but rather the prosecutor ultimately has a duty to do justice. If the office of prosecution realizes the defendant is not guilty of the charged offense, the prosecutor has the duty to not prosecute that individual.
The criminal prosecutor is the legal representative of the ‘People of California’ in making sure the laws are enforced. These are the main functions of the Prosecutor in the California Criminal Justice System:
The duty of the prosecutor is to seek justice, not merely to convict. Therefore if at any time the prosecution believes the defendant is not guilty of the crime, he or she should not proceed with prosecution in the case.
The prosecutor can order arrests, present cases to the grand jury in secret session, and on the basis of his one-sided presentation of the facts, can cause the citizen to be indicted and held for trial. He may dismiss the case before trial, in which case the defense never has a chance to be heard.
They are elected in forty-two states, appointed by the governor in six states, appointed by the legislature in one state, and appointed by the state supreme court in another. State attorney generals serve between two to six-year terms, which can be repeated. Federally, senators from each state recommend potential U.S. Attorney nominees who are then appointed by the President with the consent of the Senate. U.S. Attorneys tend to be of the same political party as the President and are usually replaced when a new President from another party takes office.
Associate Justice Robert Jackson, while he was the U.S. Attorney General addressed the Conference of United States Attorneys (federal prosecutors) in Washington, D.C. on April 1, 1940 and stated, “The qualities of a good prosecutor are . . . [elusive and . . . impossible to define]. ….
State Prosecuting Attorneys. Prosecutors represent the citizens of the state, not necessarily a particular victim of a crime. States vary in how they organize the groups of attorneys hired to represent the state’s interest.
The prosecutor has more control over life, liberty, and reputation than any other person in America. His discretion is tremendous. He can have citizens investigated and, if he is that kind of person, he can have this done to the tune of public statements and veiled or unveiled intimations.
The Criminal Division of the Department of Justice (DOJ) operates as the arm of the Attorney General in coordinating the enforcement of federal laws by the U.S. Attorneys. Link to cite to find the U.S. Attorney https://www.justice.gov/usao/find-your-united-states-attorney.