Title
Private Prosecution in America
Files
Description
Private Prosecution in America is the first comprehensive examination of a practice that dates back to the colonial era. Tracking its origins to medieval times and the English common law, the book shows how "private prosecutors" were once a mainstay of early American criminal procedure. Private prosecutors—acting on their own behalf, as next of kin, or through retained counsel—initiated prosecutions, presented evidence in court, and sought the punishment of offenders.
Until the rise and professionalization of public prosecutors' offices, private prosecutors played a major role in the criminal justice system, including in capital cases. After conducting a 50-state survey and recounting how some locales still allow private prosecutions by interested parties, the book argues that such prosecutions violate defendants' constitutional rights and should be outlawed.
ISBN
9781531020064
Publication Date
1-1-2022
Publisher
Carolina Academic Press
Disciplines
Criminal Law | Criminal Procedure | Law | Legal History
Recommended Citation
Bessler, John, "Private Prosecution in America" (2022). Books. 121.
https://scholarworks.law.ubalt.edu/fac_books/121