State prosecutors are commonly known as what?

• A. Public Defenders
• B. District Attorneys
• C. Attorneys General
• D. Solicitors

Answer: (B)

Prosecutors who bring charges on behalf of the government are the District Attorneys. They typically lead the prosecutor’s office at the county level, are often elected, and work with law enforcement to decide which cases to pursue and how to prosecute them. This role is what people most commonly mean by state prosecutors in many jurisdictions, distinguishing them from Public Defenders who defend those accused, and from Attorneys General who serve as the state’s top legal officer on broader matters. Some places use different titles like State’s Attorney or Commonwealth’s Attorney, but District Attorney is the standard term used to refer to the primary prosecuting official in criminal cases.