Comparative law notes
The "Ministério Público Estadual" may act both in criminal and civil cases as "guardian of the law". In criminal cases, using "State Prosecution Office" or "State Prosecution Service" to refer to the "Ministério Público Estadual" is perfectly fine. In non-criminal cases, further explanation may be needed, depending on the functions performed by the "Ministério Público Estadual" in the relevant case. In any case, we suggest that reference be made to the acronym "MPE".