special prosecutor
Outside legal authority
A special prosecutor is an attorney appointed to investigate and potentially prosecute a case where regular prosecutors face a conflict of interest—typically when government officials are accused of wrongdoing.
The appointment creates independence from the normal chain of command: The attorney general named a special prosecutor to investigate the president's campaign.
Also called independent counsel or special counsel.
Writ requiring testimony
- grand juryInvestigative charging body
- evidenceFacts supporting truth
- witnessOne who attests
- testimonySworn statement as evidence
indictment · interrogation · forensics · wiretap · affidavit · deposition · discovery · probe
Amounts owed or alleged
- indictmentFormal charge from jury
- plea bargainNegotiated criminal case resolution
- trialJudicial examination of claims
- courtroomJudicial proceedings chamber
verdict · conviction · sentencing · defense · appeal · counsel · attorney · legal brief
Appointed investigator of officials
- attorney generalChief governmental legal officer
- nominationFormal candidate selection
- confirmationEstablishing something as true
- Justice DepartmentFederal law enforcement agency
recusal · conflict of interest · mandate · jurisdiction · authority · powers · discretion · removal
Obligation for one's actions
- scrutinyClose, careful examination
- congressional hearingOfficial governmental fact-finding session
- reportFormal written findings
- findingsConclusions from investigation
transparency · public interest · checks and balances · review · watchdog · audit · examination · monitoring
Freedom from external control
- neutralityState of taking sides
- objectivityFreedom from personal bias
- nonpartisanNot aligned politically
- fairnessJust and equal treatment
detachment · unbiased · evenhandedness · credibility · integrity · public trust · arm's length · outside counsel
subpoena
Writ requiring testimony
- grand juryInvestigative charging body
- evidenceFacts supporting truth
- witnessOne who attests
testimony · indictment · interrogation · forensics · wiretap · affidavit · deposition · discovery · probe · inquiry
charges
Amounts owed or alleged
- indictmentFormal charge from jury
- plea bargainNegotiated criminal case resolution
- trialJudicial examination of claims
courtroom · verdict · conviction · sentencing · defense · appeal · counsel · attorney · legal brief · cross-examination
independent counsel
Appointed investigator of officials
- attorney generalChief governmental legal officer
- nominationFormal candidate selection
- confirmationEstablishing something as true
Justice Department · recusal · conflict of interest · mandate · jurisdiction · authority · powers · discretion · removal · tenure
accountability
Obligation for one's actions
- scrutinyClose, careful examination
- congressional hearingOfficial governmental fact-finding session
- reportFormal written findings
findings · transparency · public interest · checks and balances · review · watchdog · audit · examination · monitoring
independence
Freedom from external control
- neutralityState of taking sides
- objectivityFreedom from personal bias
- nonpartisanNot aligned politically
fairness · detachment · unbiased · evenhandedness · credibility · integrity · public trust · arm's length · outside counsel · apolitical
- criminal justicearrest, jail, court, prison, crime
- investigationsinvestigation report, audit, investigation, review, FBI investigation
- Nixon eraNixon, Watergate scandal, resignation, impeachment, coverup
- Prosecutorsdistrict attorney, DA, assistant DA, county attorney, state attorney
- war crimescrimes against humanity, Nuremberg, war crimes tribunals, prisoner abuse, war criminals
- anticorruptionanti-graft, ethics commission, ethics committee, financial disclosure, graft
special prosecutordistrict attorney
County's chief prosecuting officer
county prosecutor · state's attorney · public defender · chief prosecutor · public prosecutor
special prosecutorpolitical appointee
Official chosen by elected leader
special, prosecutor, specialize, specialized, specialization, specialty, speciality, specialist, specially