King's Prosecutor
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Le Procureur du roi | The King’s Prosecutor
The Procureur du roi, or King's Prosecutor, worked in one of the colony's royal courts (a prévôté), along with a judge and a clerk. He was responsible for ensuring that any perpetrators of crimes and offences within his jurisdiction were prosecuted. When someone was accused of breaking the law, the King's Prosecutor inquired into the facts and prepared his case. He informed the court of the charges that were laid against the accused—whether these were brought about by denunciation, complaint or public outcry. He presented evidence during the criminal trial, and drew conclusions based from them.
To a certain extent, the role of the King's Prosecutor is fairly similar to that of a crown prosecutor today.
The Cabinet of an Attorney in 1633 ("Le cabinet d'un procureur en 1633", 1633 engraving (artist unknown), Wikimedia Commons).
Source:
Lachance, André. 2011. Délinquants, juges et bourreaux en Nouvelle-France. Les Éditions Libre Expression : Montréal, Québec. 106-107.