Legal Definitions - prosecute

Definition: In criminal law, prosecute means to start legal proceedings against someone for committing a crime. This is done by a prosecuting attorney, such as a District Attorney or Attorney General. In intellectual property law, a lawyer will prosecute an application to obtain a patent or trademark for their client.

• John was prosecuted for stealing a car.
• The District Attorney decided to prosecute the suspect for the murder of the victim.
• The lawyer will prosecute the patent application on behalf of their client.

The first two examples illustrate the use of prosecute in criminal law, where legal action is taken against someone who has committed a crime. The third example shows how prosecute is used in intellectual property law, where a lawyer helps their client obtain a patent or trademark.