Elected Prosecutor: Basics and Historic Grounds

It has only passed a few centuries since the emergence of prosecutor’s office as the institution to prosecute crimes. This French institution with medieval roots was incrementally developed and evolved like many other institutions. During human history and in different countries, irrespective of their prosecutor’s office system, the prevailing way to choose the prosecutor was selection. The way to choose the prosecutor is important due to his paramount authorities and influence. Such high importance in judicial system convinced US legal system to use a unique way to choose the prosecution officials: elections. USA is the only nation in the world in which voters elect the prosecutor. Question: how such position is formed while there is no similar position like it in the world? The present paper initially investigates historic grounds and political contexts to expound the evolution of prosecutor’s position in the USA from a general prosecution position, to a local official and then to a public local prosecution authority. Then by considering the same historic trend, it introduces such aims as securing the independence of prosecutor’s office authorities, prosecutor’s more responsiveness to local jurisdiction and more supervision by people over government as the basics of such institution.