Impact Charging Decision
By Providing The Prosecutor With Information That May Impact The Charging Decision
The prosecutor makes a charging decision in every case. Just because the police arrested you does not mean that the prosecutor will file the same charges against you. There are times when the prosecutor will file the same charges that the police arrested you for or even add charges that the police did not think of. However, the prosecutor also has the power to file lesser charges or even file a 'no information' meaning that the arrested is not going to be prosecuted.
Our firm makes every effort to impact the prosecutor's filing decision in a positive manner. Frequently the prosecutor has only heard one side of the story. Providing the prosecutor with your additional witnesses, evidence and law can change the prosecutor's charging decision. My 15 years at the Pinellas County State Attorneys office working with these prosecutors has given me unique insight into why charges are filed, reduced and dropped by the prosecutor. There is only a limited time period to provide this additional evidence to the prosecutor before a charging decision is made. Hiring an attorney early in the game can be very beneficial.
For more information on impacting the prosecutor's charging decision please see the article: "Strike While the Iron is Hot - Impacting the Prosecutor's Charging Decision".