Legal Definitions - people

Definition: In a criminal case, "People" refers to the government or state that is prosecuting the case. For example, in the case of Al Capone, the case would be called "People v. Capone." If the case is being prosecuted by a state, it may be called "State v. Davis," and if it is a federal case, it may be called "United States v. Miller."

Example: In the case of People v. Smith, the government is prosecuting Mr. Smith for a crime he allegedly committed.

Explanation: The term "People" is used to refer to the government or state that is bringing the case against the defendant. In this example, the government is prosecuting Mr. Smith, and the case is called "People v. Smith."