In many domestic violence cases between partners or spouses, the accuser will decide he or she doesn’t want to press charges anymore. They might go to the police or the local prosecutor and ask for the domestic violence charges to be dropped. However, the party who first accused the defendant of domestic violence assault has no power to drop charges because criminal charges are only brought forward by prosecutors. Once the prosecutor’s office has issued a domestic violence charge, the victim cannot withdraw or drop charges. Their only choice at that point is between testifying in court or choosing not to.
Changing Domestic Violence Statements
Although domestic violence charges can’t be dropped, accusers frequently want to change or recant their statements to police or investigators. Recanting is when accusers take back their original statement. If the accuser lied about facts in their charges, they could recant them. However, recanting won’t necessarily force the state to drop the case since the state can still prosecute the case using police reports, photographs, and other evidence. If a person does recant, however, they can face criminal charges for lying to police officers and the court.
Contact Prince George’s County Domestic Violence Defense Attorneys!
If you face domestic violence charges, it is vital to speak to our lawyers as soon as possible. Even if the accuser wants to drop the domestic violence charges against you, you will still face serious consequences if you don’t have aggressive and experienced lawyers on your side. The Prince George’s County domestic violence attorneys at Gracia & Mintz are ready to fight for your rights and help you get your charges reduced or even dismissed.
Contact the Prince George’s County domestic violence defense lawyers today at (301) 842-8584 to discuss your case in confidence. We can discuss your legal options in a free consultation.