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Criminal Law & Justice vocabulary · Defence & Prosecution

Prosecution

Meaning in criminal law & justice, with examples

/ˌprɒsɪˈkjuːʃn/nounCore term

In criminal law & justice, prosecution means: The process of bringing a criminal case against someone in court; 'the prosecution' also means the lawyers who present the case against the defendant.

In Turkish: iddia makamı, kovuşturma, savcılık

How it is used

Two meanings: the process ('face prosecution', 'bring a prosecution') and the side in court ('the prosecution argued that...'), which is the opposite of 'the defence'. 'Prosecution witnesses' are called by the prosecution. The verb is 'prosecute'.

Example sentences

  1. The prosecution says the defendant planned the attack for weeks.

  2. Shops that sell alcohol to children may face prosecution.

  3. The prosecution called its first witness on Tuesday.

Common collocations

  • the prosecution
  • face prosecution
  • prosecution witness
  • bring a prosecution
  • prosecution case
  • prosecutorA lawyer who works for the state and brings criminal cases to court, trying to prove that the defendant is guilty.
  • defenceThe side in a criminal trial that represents the defendant; also a legal reason that can free a defendant from liability, such as self-defence.
  • chargeTo formally accuse someone of a particular crime so that the case can go to court; as a noun, a charge is the formal accusation itself.
  • indictmentA formal written accusation that a person has committed one or more serious crimes, which starts the case against them in a criminal court.
  • burden of proofThe duty to prove that a claim is true; in criminal cases it lies on the prosecution, not on the defendant.

More terms: Defence & Prosecution

Practise with graded reading

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not legal advice.