Procurator fiscal

In Scotch Law. A public prosecutor. Bell, Diet. PROCURATOR LITIS (Lat.). In Civil Law. One who by command of another institutes and carries on for him a suit. Vicat, Voc. Jur. Procurator is properly used of the attorney of actor (the plaintiff), defensor of the attorney of reus (the defendant). It is distinguished from adrocatns, who was one who undertook the defence of persons, not things, and who was generally the patron of the person whose defence he prepared, the person himself speaking it. It is also distinguished from cognitor who conducted the cause in the presence of his principal, and generally in cases of citizenship; whereas the procurator conducted the cause in the absence of his principal. Calvinus, I^ex. PROCURATORIUM (Lat.). The proxy or instrument by which a proctor is constituted and appointed.

In Scotch law, this is the title of the public prosecutor for each district, who institutes the preliminary inquiry into crime within his district. The office is analogous, in some respect, to that of "prosecuting attorney," "district attorney," or "state's attorney" in America.

Defined under Procurator in Black's Law Dictionary.