Editing Prosecutor (section)

=== Brazil ===
{{main|Public Prosecutor's Office (Brazil)}}

In Brazil, the public prosecutors form a body of autonomous civil servants—the Public Ministry (''Ministério Público'')—working both at the federal and state level. Members of the Federal Prosecution Service are divided in three ranks, according to the jurisdiction of the courts before which they officiate. Federal Prosecutors (''Procuradores da República'') officiate before single judges and lower courts, Federal Circuit Prosecutors (''procuradores regionais da República'') before federal appellate courts, and Associate Federal Prosecutors General (''subprocuradores gerais da República'') before superior federal courts. The [[Prosecutor General of the Republic (Brazil)|Prosecutor General of the Republic]] (''Procurador Geral da República'') heads the federal body, and tries cases before the [[Supreme Federal Court|Brazilian Supreme Court]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mpf.mp.br/atuacao-tematica/sci/dados-da-atuacao/links-tematicos/traducoes-oficiais-do-mpf|title=Traduções oficiais do MPF conforme Portaria PGR/MPF nº 618|access-date=28 November 2021|archive-date=29 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211129021459/http://www.mpf.mp.br/atuacao-tematica/sci/dados-da-atuacao/links-tematicos/traducoes-oficiais-do-mpf|url-status=live}}</ref>

At the state level, the career is usually divided in state prosecutors (''promotores de Justiça'') who practice before the lower courts and state apellate prosecutors (''procuradores de Justiça'') who practice before the state courts of appeals. There are also military prosecutors whose career, although linked to the federal prosecutors, is divided in a manner similar to state prosecutors. In Brazil, the prosecutors' main job is to promote justice, as such they have the duty of not only trying criminal cases, but, if during the trial, they become convinced of a defendant's innocence,  requesting the judge to acquit him. The prosecutor's office has always the last word on whether criminal offenses will or will not be charged, with the exception of those rare cases in which Brazilian law allows for private prosecution. In such cases, the prosecutor will officiate as ''custos legis'', being responsible to ensure that justice is indeed carried out. Although empowered by law to do so, prosecutors conduct criminal investigations only in major cases, usually involving police or public officials' wrongdoings. Also, they are in charge of external control over police activity and requesting the initiation of a police investigation.<ref>Article 129, preamble paragraphs VII and VIII of the {{cite web |url=http://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/constituicao/constituicaocompilado.htm |title=Constitution of Brazil |access-date=7 May 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160505161928/http://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/constituicao/ConstituicaoCompilado.htm |archive-date=5 May 2016 }}("São funções institucionais do Ministério Público: . . . (VII) exercer o controle externo da atividade policial, na forma da lei complementar mencionada no artigo anterior [Art. 128°]; (VIII) requisitar diligências investigatórias e a instauração de inquérito policial, indicados os fundamentos jurídicos de suas manifestações processuais; . . . .").</ref>

The power of individual prosecutors to hold criminal investigations was controversial and, although massively supported by judges, prosecutors and the general population, it was contested before the Supremo Tribunal Federal, but in 2015, this Court decided favorably to its power (RGE n. 593.727-MG). According to a 2012 law, the chief of police (''delegado de polícia''), as the police authority, is responsible for conducting the criminal investigation in Brazil by means of a police investigation (''inquérito policial'') or other procedure provided by law that has the purpose of ascertaining the circumstances, materiality, and authorship of criminal offenses.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/_ato2011-2014/2013/lei/l12830.htm |title=Law 12.830/2013 |access-date=8 November 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161114152545/http://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/_ato2011-2014/2013/lei/l12830.htm |archive-date=14 November 2016 }}.</ref> Similar provisions are found in the Code of Criminal Procedure<ref>Article 4 of the  {{cite web |url=http://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/decreto-lei/Del3689.htm |title=Brazilian Code of Criminal Procedure |access-date=7 August 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120722232718/http://www.planalto.gov.br/CCIVIL_03/Decreto-Lei/Del3689.htm |archive-date=22 July 2012 }} ("A polícia judiciária será exercida pelas autoridades policiais no território de suas respectivas circunscrições e terá por fim a apuração das infrações penais e da sua autoria.").</ref> and in article 144 of the federal constitution.<ref>{{cite constitution
| article = 144
| section = IV
| polity = Brazil
| ratified = 1988
}} ("Às polícias civis, dirigidas por delegados de polícia de carreira, incumbem, ressalvada a competência da União, as funções de polícia judiciária e a apuração de infrações penais, exceto as militares.").</ref> Beside their criminal duties, Brazilian prosecutors are among those authorized by the Brazilian constitution to bring action against private individuals, commercial enterprises, and the federal, state and municipal governments, in the defense of minorities, the environment, consumers, and the civil society in general.