Procuratore

Procuratore is an Italian term with two main senses in law. In criminal law, it denotes the prosecutor, specifically the procuratore della Repubblica (public prosecutor), who heads the office known as the Procura della Repubblica and is responsible for directing investigations, guiding police activity, and prosecuting crimes in the name of the State. Prosecutors operate within the judiciary and are expected to exercise their duties independently, subject to oversight by bodies such as the Consiglio Superiore della Magistratura. They may issue warrants, supervise evidence collection, and pursue charges or plea agreements in court.

In civil and administrative law, procuratore can also refer to a legal representative or attorney who has been granted a procura, or power of attorney, to act on behalf of a client in litigation. This authority may be general or limited to specific acts (procura alle liti, procura generale, procura speciale). A procuratore with such a mandate can file lawsuits, sign pleadings, participate in hearings, and negotiate settlements within the scope of the granted powers.

Etymology and usage: procuratore derives from Latin procurator, from procurare meaning to take care of. In modern Italian, the term is commonly used to distinguish the state prosecutor from private legal representatives, and it may also appear in specialized contexts, such as "procuratore sportivo" for a sports agent who represents athletes in contractual negotiations.