Legal Definitions - people

People

In the legal system, particularly within criminal law, "People" refers to the prosecuting party that represents the government and, by extension, the collective citizens of a state or jurisdiction. When a criminal case is titled People v. [Defendant's Name], it signifies that the prosecution is bringing charges on behalf of the public interest against the accused individual. This usage is common in certain states (such as California or New York) and serves the same function as "State" or "United States" in other jurisdictions.

• Example 1: A Criminal Trial for Grand Theft

  Imagine a scenario where Mr. Thompson is accused of grand theft in California. The official title of the court case would be People v. Thompson. This illustrates that the prosecution, acting on behalf of all citizens of California, is pursuing the charges against Mr. Thompson, rather than an individual victim.

• Example 2: A Plea Bargain Negotiation

  Consider Ms. Davis, who has been charged with a drug offense in New York. Her defense attorney enters into negotiations with the prosecutor to reach a plea bargain. In this context, the negotiation is effectively between Ms. Davis and "the People," meaning the state's representative who has the authority to resolve the criminal charges on behalf of the public interest.

• Example 3: An Appellate Court Decision

  Suppose Mr. Miller was convicted of assault and subsequently appeals his case to a higher court, challenging a legal ruling made during his trial. The appellate court's published decision would still be captioned People v. Miller. This demonstrates that even at the appellate level, the state, representing its citizens, remains the opposing party in the legal dispute against the defendant.