Prosecutor vs. Lawyer | A Tabular Difference Guide by Expert
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Knowing the difference between a prosecutor and a lawyer is very important as most people get confused with both of these terms. People don’t tend to learn all about these terms which makes them confused when they encounter these terms. This guide is about prosecutor vs. lawyer.
People usually consider a lawyer is a prosecutor. However, it’s not right to say as the jobs of both these persons are different. Particularly, if someone has never faced any case regarding criminal activity, he’ll have never encountered any lawyers or prosecutors.
So, they may face difficulty distinguishing the jobs of both these legal entities—learning about ‘Lawyer vs. Prosecutor’ is necessary as it will prevent you from many confusions.
You may know that the lawyer and prosecutor have attended a law school. After their schooling, they will have also completed their graduation in law. However, some deep things differentiate these legal entities.
The difference is mainly based on the job they perform. To learn all about this query, you’ll have to dig into the market deeply that’ll need a lot of time. We’ve proposed a guide to teaching you the basic difference between a lawyer and a prosecutor to make your job easy. So, let’s dig deep to expose all about this query.
Who is a Prosecutor?
A prosecutor is a legal entity who acts as a representative of the interest of his state or Federal Government in the relevant court. He may affiliate with the common law system of his state or the civil law system.
Read More: How To Ask A Lawyer For Help
Duties of a Prosecutor
A prosecutor serves his state in various affairs. Here are some of the most important responsibilities of a Prosecutor.
Duty with the Corpse
Being a prosecutor, one will have to work with the police officers and other legal entities like the court staff to maintain the justice system.
A Consultant
Being a member of the legal department, the prosecutor will also have to work as a consultant for different counsels. They make the representation of the state and federal authorities smooth and effective.
Servant of State and Public
A prosecutor is the servant of the state as well as the public. He facilitates the public and the government within the limits of the law.
Make the Safety Sure
A prosecutor works with a corpse and other legal agencies. They together make sure that their people are safe in their country.
Making the Criminal Reports
A Prosecutor must keep a thorough record of his concerned criminals. He’ll have to manage all the criminal history. Also, he will be responsible for the paperwork of the criminals.
Managing the Court Trials
When court trials are held, certain evidence and documents of the criminal are necessary for smooth trials. For this purpose, he will have to interview the police officers and other viewers along with the criminals.
Managing all Reports
All reports like medical reports, lab reports, and other reports management are also the prosecutor’s duty. He’ll have to manage all the necessities for the court trials.
Making Sure the Punishment of the Criminals
After the court’s decision is out, the prosecutor makes sure the punishment of the criminals.
Who is a Lawyer?
A lawyer is a person who has a graduation degree in law. He has a legal right to handle the people’s cases in court. There are many alternative names used to represent a lawyer. A lawyer is also called:
- Advocate
- Attorney
- Solicitor
- Counselor
- Barrister
These are some well-known names of the lawyer. There are many other names too that a Lawyer may use.
Duties of a Lawyer
Here are some of the well-known duties of a lawyer.
Executing the Client’s Case in the case
The basic job is to prosecute his clients’ cases in court. Also, he may raise his clients’ cases before other private or government agencies.
A Coordinator
Another lawyer’s job is to act as a coordinator between different ends of a case. Different ends of a case mean clients, opposite parties, judges, or other legal agencies involved in the case.
Managing the Cases Accordingly
After hearing the client’s arguments and getting essential documents, the lawyer must prepare for the court trials to represent his client there.
Investigation of the Case
Proper investigation and planning of any case are necessary for a proper settlement. The lawyer has to prepare for the case by researching his clients’ arguments.
Managing the Legal File
For an effective case proceeding, the lawyer will have to manage all the legal documents, files, contracts, and other necessities for the court trials.
Defend the Client
In the courtroom, the lawyer is the voice of his client. He’ll have to defend his client’s sent to win his rights.
A Consultant
An experienced lawyer, just like a prosecutor, can act as a consultant. People may consult with him about their cases.
Types of the Lawyers
Depending upon the nature of the case, there are different types of lawyers. Here are the basic types of lawyers.
- Family Lawyer
- Tax Lawyer
- Environmental Lawyer
- Property Lawyer
- Security Lawyer
Lawyer vs. Prosecutor
| Lawyer | Prosecutor |
| A lawyer is a person who has a law degree and practices in the courts to represent the interest of his clients in the court. | A prosecutor is a legal entity that acts as a representative of the interest of the state or federal government in the court. |
| Works for public affairs. | Works for government affairs. |
| A lawyer handles criminal as well as civil cases in court. | A prosecutor only handles the criminal affairs in the court. |
| The lawyer will defend his client whether he is innocent or criminal. | A prosecutor tends to prove that the person is a real criminal. |
| They fight in court for the sake of any individual. | A prosecutor works for the state’s affairs; no one hires him. |
| A lawyer’s job is only to defend his client’s arguments. | Prosecutor investigates the facts. |
| A lawyer’s duties don’t involve making sure the punishment of the criminal. | After the court’s decision and investigation, a prosecutor will have to make sure that the criminal is punished well. |
Whose Job is Tough, a Lawyer’s or a Prosecutor’s?
A lawyer has a tough job out of a lawyer and a prosecutor. He has to defend his client’s arguments in court. Here are some of the challenges that a lawful faces throughout his career.
- A prosecutor will justify whether a person is guilty, but a lawyer has something more to do. He has to prove that his client is innocent, although he’s arguing wrong.
- It’s very tough for a lawyer to defend such a person who has committed guilt is real.
- Prosecutor doesn’t need prior evidence to move on; he can proceed with a bit of doubt. On the other hand, a lawyer will have to prove that his client is innocent.
- Sometimes, the prosecutor may have a close relationship with the judge. This makes their job easy. In such a situation, the lawyer has to suffer a lot.
All this evidence proves that a lawyer has to suffer more to sustain than a prosecutor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a lawyer a prosecutor?
No, a lawyer and a prosecutor are not the same. There are remarkable differences, mentioned above, among them. So, try to differentiate between a prosecutor and a lawyer.
Do lawyers get paid more than prosecutors?
Yes, public lawyers make more money than prosecutors. According to a recent survey, lawyers are getting paid more than prosecutors, which increases with experience.
Is law school difficult?
Yes, law school is more difficult than a simple college or university study. Being a law student, one has to work hard to become a successful lawyer.
Are lawyers rich?
Though the lawyer’s income depends on his state, they earn handsome money. In most states, the fees of lawyers are high. So, they are very rich; even if they fall in the middle or lower class, they will be among the upper class after some time.
Do prosecutors get paid if they lose?
Yes, a prosecutor gets paid in the US even if he loses.
Conclusion
A lawyer and a prosecutor are two different legal entities. These should never be confused as the same. However, such a person who has zero interaction with legal matters may get confused over such a question. He may consider both these entities as the same.
So, learning a basic difference between a prosecutor and a lawyer is necessary for those who consider them the same. The above guide briefly compares a lawyer and a prosecutor; this may help you learn their difference.
References
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosecutor
- https://www.betterteam.com/prosecutor-job-description
- https://www.americanbar.org/groups/professional_responsibility/publications/model_rules_of_professional_conduct/rule_3_8_special_responsibilities_of_a_prosecutor/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawyer
- https://lawlex.org/lex-pedia/rights-and-duties-of-a-lawyer/23693
- https://www.betterteam.com/lawyer-job-description
- https://www.legalzoom.com/articles/types-of-lawyers
- https://onlinemasteroflegalstudies.com/career-guides/become-a-lawyer/types-of-lawyers/
I’m a driven and accomplished law graduate and post-graduate, passionate about sharing my legal expertise via my blog. I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Law from the University of London (UK) and a Master’s in Law from the University of Derby (UK). Both gave me the foundational knowledge and skills to excel in my chosen career path.
Throughout my academic journey, I have gained extensive knowledge in various fields of Law, including Corporate and Business Law in the USA, Criminal Law, International Law, US Copyright law, and most importantly, American Constitutional law.
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