Editing Prosecutor (section)

=== France ===
{{main |Ministère public (France)}}
{{See also|Parquet (legal)}}

In France, the Office of the Prosecutor includes a Chief Prosecutor (''Procureur de la République'' in trial courts and ''procureur général'' in [[appellate court]]s or the [[Court of Cassation (France)|Court of Cassation]]) and his deputies and assistants (''avocats généraux'' and ''substituts''). The Chief Prosecutor generally initiates preliminary investigations and, if necessary, asks that an examining judge (''[[inquisitorial system#France|juge d'instruction]]'') be assigned to lead a formal judicial investigation. When an investigation is led by a judge, the prosecutor plays a supervisory role, defining the scope of the crimes being examined by the judge and law enforcement forces. Like defense counsel, the chief prosecutor may [[petition]] or move for further investigation. During [[criminal proceedings]], prosecutors are responsible for presenting the case at trial to either the [[bench (law)|bench]] or the [[jury]]. Prosecutors generally suggest advisory sentencing guidelines, but the sentence remains at the court's discretion to decide, to increase or reduce as it sees fit. In addition, prosecutors have several administrative duties.

Prosecutors are considered magistrates under French law, as in most [[civil law (legal system)|civil law]] countries. While the defense and the plaintiff are both represented by common lawyers, who sit (on chairs) on the courtroom floor, the prosecutor sits on a platform as the judge does, although he does not participate in deliberation. Judges and prosecutors are trained at the same school, and regard one other as colleagues.