Sidesprosecution

Sidesprosecution is not a standard term in criminal law or jurisprudence. In some academic or speculative discussions, it is used as a neologism to describe a framework that conceptualizes prosecutorial activity as comprising distinct “sides” within a case—such as the charging and the courtroom-advocacy components—or as a lens for analyzing how prosecutions are organized across offices or jurisdictions. The phrase can also appear as a misnomer for related ideas like parallel or dual prosecutions in different jurisdictions, or simply as a fictional device in literature and media.

Because it lacks formal status, there is no official definition, doctrine, or set of procedures associated with sidesprosecution. When the term is used, it typically serves as a metaphor or analytical shorthand rather than a description of a concrete legal practice. Discussions that invoke the concept often address broader issues such as prosecutorial strategy, ethics, bias, or organizational structure, rather than prescribing a specific method of prosecuting a case.

In practice, any usage of sidesprosecution should be accompanied by a clear definition to avoid confusion with established concepts such as standard prosecution, parallel prosecution, or prosecutorial discretion. As of now, the term remains largely theoretical or fictional rather than part of mainstream legal doctrine.

See also: Prosecution; Prosecutorial discretion; Parallel prosecution; Dual sovereignty; Legal ethics.