Aprivate citizen is acitizen who does not have anofficial orprofessional role in a given situation.[1]
The same person may be a private citizen in one role, and an official in another. For example, alegislator is an official when voting in the legislature, but a private citizen when paying taxes or when undertaking acitizen's arrest in a public place.
A person may remain ade jure private citizen while having considerablepolitical power and influence:
...Pericles,in his capacity as a private citizen, was able to dominate the affairs of the Athenian assembly, and to direct and guide thedemos for nearly a generation.[2]
Private citizens inqui tam actions bring suit on behalf of the state but are notofficers of the court, and are possibly eligible for a reward.[3]
Private citizens may have the right to make citizen's arrests under certain circumstances, despite not beingsworn law-enforcement officials.[4]
Private citizens may have the right to bringcitizen suits to enforce astatute.[citation needed]
A government employee may be considered to be a private citizen in the context of law enforcement actions. For example, an emergency medical technician who discovered contraband on a patient was ruled not to be a "government agent" for the purposes of theconstitutional restrictions on government searches.[5][6]