Private prosecution
In the early history of England, the victim of a crime and his family had the right to hire a private attorney to prosecute criminal charges against the person alleged to have injured the victim.[9] In the 18th century, prosecution of almost all criminal offences in England was private, usually by the victim.[10] In colonial America, because of Dutch (and possibly French) practice and the expansion of the office of attorney general, public officials came to dominate the prosecution of crimes. However, privately funded prosecutors constituted a significant element of the state criminal justice system throughout the nineteenth century.[11] The use of a private prosecutor was incorporated into the common law of Virginia and is still permitted there.[9] Private prosecutors were also used in North Carolina as late as 1975.[12] Private prosecution has been used in Nigeria, but the practice is being phased out.[13]