In a New York criminal case, which entity is commonly named at the beginning of the caption?

• A. The People
• B. The State of New York
• C. The People of the State of New York
• D. Criminal Defendant

Answer: (C)

In New York criminal cases the caption begins with the People of the State of New York. This formal designation identifies the state as the prosecuting authority, showing that the People are the government representing the state in the case. It signals that the case is brought by the People, not by a private party, and it's the standard phrase used on indictments and charging documents. After this line comes the v. (versus) and then the defendant’s name, so the defendant appears later in the caption.

The other phrasings aren’t used at the top of criminal captions because they are either less formal or refer to different roles. The State of New York alone is a broader governmental term and is not the typical prosecuting party designation in criminal filings; The People is a common shorthand but the formal, widely used caption uses The People of the State of New York; and the Criminal Defendant is who is being charged, not the party pursuing the case.