ABA Family Legal Guide

Criminal Justice

Court Procedures

Initial Criminal Court Proceedings

Can the charges against me be dropped?

Yes, this can occur for several reasons. For example, charges may be dropped if there is insufficient evidence, which means the police either could not find enough evidence to link you to a crime or found evidence pointing to your innocence. Witness problems also prompt prosecutors to drop charges--for example, when those who observed a crime fail to appear, are reluctant to testify, or testify inconsistently. Sometimes, cases are dropped in the interests of justice, a broad category that means the prosecutor does not feel the case is significant enough to pursue, such as minor property damage.