Common Informer

Common informer, a person who prosecutes others for breaches of penal laws, or furnishes evidence on criminal trials for no other reason than to get the penalty or a share of it; for a recent instance of an action to recover penalties, see Forbes v. Samuel, (1913) 3 KB 706. Statutes occasionally provide that no proceedings shall be taken without the leave of the Attorney-General, see, e.g., the (English) Larceny (Advertisements) Act, 1870 (33 & 34 Vict. c. 65), and the (English) Public health (Officers) Acts, 1884 and 1885. Sometimes, too, as by the (English) Larceny (Advertisements) Act, 1870, the informers have lost the benefit of their penal action by a retrospective enactment that proceedings therein be stayed in payment of their costs out of pocket. See PENAL STATUTE.