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Who represents the public in a criminal court case?

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Wood-paneled courtroom with judge's bench, American and Nevada flags, wooden chairs and tables, and a mounted animal head above the bench in the Esmeralda County courthouse, Goldfield, Nevada. — Court Judge's bench in a courtroom in Nevada, U.S.

In a criminal court case, the public is represented by a government official known as a prosecutor. This official is charged with bringing defendants to justice in the name of the state or the public interest.1

Depending on the jurisdiction, this role may be held by various titles, such as a district attorney in the United States or a procureur within the ministère public in France. While responsibilities vary, the prosecutor generally oversees the criminal proceeding, from the initial investigation by the police through the trial and any subsequent appeals. In some systems, such as in the United Kingdom, the prosecution is carried out in the name of the crown.1

It is important to distinguish the prosecutor from a public defender, who is an attorney employed by the government to represent indigent individuals accused of crimes, rather than the public interest itself.2