But other prosecutors and defense lawyers viewed the decision as significant in determining how future criminal cases are conducted, although for very different reasons.

And they are deploying new legal tactics to bring to court cases that both insurers and prosecutors long viewed as too time-consuming and expensive to pursue.

Now they will have to think about how a prosecutor or jury might view their actions, he said.

But the proposed deal would have required Mr. Kerik to serve some time in prison, and is one indication of how seriously federal prosecutors view the allegations.

I will take what I know the prosecutors view as their strength and show it for weakness.

In Mafia cases, for example, prosecutors typically view all the lawyers for witnesses as allies.

There is little doubt that prosecutors will view this as an act of obstruction.

In the United States, prosecutors viewed the actions surrounding Daiwa as plain and simple fraud compounded by an elaborate cover-up.

Moreover, prosecutors and defense attorneys often view each other as colleagues and generally wish to maintain good relations with one another.