What is meant by a “private prosecutor? ” a german practice left over from the eighteenth century legal system in which victims became their own prosecutors in family court. early in the twentieth century, american victims’ families were able to hire their own attorneys to prosecute alleged criminals in order to receive any justice at all. an attorney hired by a private individual or family today to charge, try, and punish criminals for crimes committed against their families. a standard practice in eighteenth century england in which the victim’s family hired its own prosecutor to bring charges against an alleged criminal.