prosecuting
Bringing criminal charges
Prosecuting is conducting legal proceedings against someone accused of a crime: The district attorney is prosecuting the case.
More broadly, it means pursuing or carrying forward any course of action: prosecuting a war, prosecuting research.
The legal sense dominates modern usage—a prosecuting attorney represents the state against defendants.
Sworn statement as evidence
- evidenceFacts supporting truth
- witnessOne who attests
- cross-examinationOpposing party questions witness
- exhibitItem publicly displayed
objection · rebuttal · verdict · jury · deliberation · burden of proof · case-in-chief · redirect
Formal charge from jury
- arraignmentCharge-reading court session
- chargesAmounts owed or alleged
- accusationClaim someone did wrong
- complaintExpression of discontent
allegation · filing · plaintiff · litigation · sue · summons · subpoena · affidavit
Firmly held belief
- sentenceComplete thought, grammatically
- guiltyResponsible for wrongdoing
- imprisonmentLegal detention in jail
- incarcerationConfinement in jail
penalty · jail · prison · probation · parole · restitution · fine · sentencing hearing
Seeking to attain
- carrying outExecuting a task
- conductingLeading or transmitting
- executingCarrying out a task
- undertakingTask one commits to
continuing · following through · waging · advancing · persistence · determination · campaign · crusade
testimony
Sworn statement as evidence
- evidenceFacts supporting truth
- witnessOne who attests
- cross-examinationOpposing party questions witness
exhibit · objection · rebuttal · verdict · jury · deliberation · burden of proof · case-in-chief · redirect · sustained
indictment
Formal charge from jury
- arraignmentCharge-reading court session
- chargesAmounts owed or alleged
- accusationClaim someone did wrong
complaint · allegation · filing · plaintiff · litigation · sue · summons · subpoena · affidavit · deposition
conviction
Firmly held belief
- sentenceComplete thought, grammatically
- guiltyResponsible for wrongdoing
- imprisonmentLegal detention in jail
incarceration · penalty · jail · prison · probation · parole · restitution · fine · sentencing hearing · mandatory minimum
pursuing
Seeking to attain
- carrying outExecuting a task
- conductingLeading or transmitting
- executingCarrying out a task
undertaking · continuing · following through · waging · advancing · persistence · determination · campaign · crusade · mission
- reproachesblaming, scolding, rebuking, reprimanding, censuring
- criminal lawcrime, felony, misdemeanor, murder, robbery
prosecutingpardoning
Forgiving an offense officially
acquitting · exonerating · absolving · dropping charges · forgiving
prosecutingabandoning
Leaving permanently behind
discontinuing · dropping · halting · ceasing · desisting
- criminal prosecutionGovernment's legal action against accused
- prosecuting attorneyLawyer pursuing criminal charges
- prosecution witnessOne testifying for state
- federal prosecutionGovernment-initiated criminal proceedings
- immunity from prosecutionExemption from criminal proceedings
- prosecution caseCharges brought against defendant