Proscribed

In Civil Law. Among the Romans, a man was said to be proscribed when a reward was offered for his head; but the term was more usually applied to those who were sentenced to some punishment which carried with it the consequences of civil death.

Code 9. 49.

PROSECUTION ( Lat prosequor, to follow after). In Criminal Law. The means adopted to bring a supposed offender to justice and punishment by due course" of law.

See State v. Williams, 34 La. Ann. 1198.

Prosecutions are carried on in the name of the government, and have for their principal object the security and happiness of the people in general. Hawk. PI. Cr. b.

2, c. 25, s. 3; Bac. Abr. Indictment (A 3).

In England, the modes most usually employed to carry them on are — by indictment; 1 Chitty, Cr. L. 132; presentment of a grand jury; id.

133; coroner’s inquest; id. 134; and by an information.

In this country, the modes are — by indictment, by presentment, by information, and by complaint, which see. See Postulatio; Malicious Prosecution.