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DeclinationofProsecution

DECLINATIONOFPROSECUTION,or
DROPCHARGEAFFIDAVIT(plusexampleform)

Manycriminalchargeshaveanallegedvictim.Insuchcases,there'salwaysachanceacriminaldefenseattorneymay
obtainaswornaffidavitfromtheallegedvictiminformingthecourtthatshedesiresthatthechargesbedropped.The
mostcommoncaseinvolvingadeclinationofprosecutionisdomesticviolencebattery,butdeclinationsareusedinall
sortsofothercaseslikegrandtheftorpetittheft,criminalmischief,worthlesscheckcharges,assault,andthelistgoes
onandon(aslongasthere'savictim,youcanfileadeclination).

ThisdocumentthattellstheworldanallegedvictimnolongerwishestopresschargesisknownaseitheraDeclination
ofProsecution,aDropChargeAffidavit,orinsomejurisdictions,itiscalledaWaiverofProsecution.Butthere'sno
magicformhere,asthesewrittenstatementsbasicallysaytwothings:

theallegedvictimdoesnotwanttopresschargesnorcooperatewiththeprosecutors,and/or

thestatementscontainedinthepolicereportattributabletotheallegedvictimareinaccurateorincomplete.

ThemostcommonformofaDeclinationofProsecutionisthefirstkind,aswornstatement(inotherwords,notarized)
informingtheprosecutorandjudgethattheallegedvictimdoesnotwishtoprosecute.Ofcourse,whilethesewishesare
importanttomakeknown,filingthisdocumentprovidesnoguaranteethattheStateofFloridawillobeythosewishes.

Indomesticviolencebatterycases,forexample,somejurisdictionsrequirefurthereffortsbytheallegedvictimbeforea
casecanbedropped(maybeaclassortwo,forexample).Becauseprosecutorsoftenproceedwithacaseinspiteofa
victim'swishes,itsalwaysbesttohireacriminaldefenseattorneybeforedraftingadeclinationofprosecution,aswe
wantthedeclinationcraftedinsuchawaysoastoprovideadefendantwithhisbestchancesofsuccess(it'sawkwardto
fileaseconddeclinationbecausethefirstwasincomplete!).Furthermore,certainstatementscontainedwithina
declinationmayexposeanallegedvictimtocriminalchargeslikeperjuryorfilingafalsepolicereportsodonotdrafta
declinationofprosecutionwithoutfirsthiringcounsel!Gotit?

Adeclinationofprosecutionshouldbeaswornstatement.Thus,itneedstobethetruth.Now,that'seasywhenwe're
dealingwiththefirsttypeofdeclination,thetypethatmerelyinformsthecourtthattheallegedvictimdoesnotwishto
presscharges.Butthesecondtypeofdeclination,theonewhichcontainsfurtherfactsabouttheincident,this
declinationmust(yes,must)bereviewedbyanattorney.Afterall,itisrarethatthepolicereportcontainsthewholetruth,
andnothingbutthetruth.Policereportstypicallycontaininformationtowhichthepoliceofficerhasnopersonal
knowledge,soitcanbeimportantforawitnessclarifyorcorrectwhatiswritteninapolicereport.Awholeothercanof
wormscanbeopenedwhenanallegedvictimactuallyrecantsherstory.Arecantationmaylimittheprosecutor'sability
toevencalltheirstarwitnesstothestand.Attorneysmustbeinvolvedinsuchsituations,readmyarticleentitled
"RecantedTestimonyinBatteryCases"formoreinformation.

There'sahugepotentialpitfalltofilingadeclinationofprosecution:anyconflictbetweenaswornstatementgivenatthe
sceneofthecrime,versusthenewswornstatementgivenwithinthedeclination,canbeusedtoarresttheallegedvictim
onfelonyperjurycharges.So,I'llsayitagain,don'tdraftadeclinationwithoutanattorney'sassistance.
Here'swhataDeclinationofProsecutionlookslike.Urbanmythsindicatethatthisdocumentissomehowmagicaldon't
believethehype.Important?Yes.Magical,no.Enjoy.

INTHECOUNTYCOURTOFTHE
NINTHJUDICIALCIRCUIT,INAND
FORORANGECOUNTY,FLORIDA

CASENO.482013MM0000AO

STATEOFFLORIDA,
Plaintiff,

vs.

ACCUSEDGUY,
Defendant
/
DROPCHARGEAFFIDAVIT&
DECLINATIONOFPROSECUTION

Beforeme,theundersignedauthority,personallyappearedALLEGEDVICTIM,whobeingbymefirstdulysworn,
deposesandsays:IamALLEGEDVICTIM.OnoraboutJune17,2013,batterychargeswerebroughtagainstthe
Defendant,AccusedGuy.Iamtheallegedvictimandcomplainingwitnessagainsttheabovenamedindividual.

Ihavebyexecutionofthisdocument,advisedtheStateAttorney'sOfficeinOrangeCounty,Florida,thatIdonotdesire
criminalactionandproceedingsinthiscase,Idonotdesirethecasetobeprosecutedfurther,andrequestthecharges
againsttheDefendantbedismissed.InowrequestthattheStateofFloridaconsiderthefollowingadditionalinformation
involvingthecaseagainstthedefendant:

MAYADDIMPORTANTINFORMATION,LIKE"WEHAVEBEENMARRIEDFOR20YEARS,4KIDSTOGETHER,THIS
WASALLABIGMISUNDERSTANDING",ORANYOTHERINFORMATIONTHATTHEATTORNEY&ALLEGED
VICTIMDEEMAPPROPRIATEFORALLTOHEAR

Iamexecutingthisaffidavitvoluntarilyandofmyownfreewill,withoutcoercionorunduepressurefromanyone.The
foregoingdocumentwasacknowledgedbeforemethis_____dayofJuly,2013,byALLEGEDVICTIMwhohas
presented_____________asidentificationandwhodidtakeanoath.

NAME,AllegedVictim(signature)NOTARYPUBLIC(signature)

PracticeAreas
AggravatedBattery | Assault | Battery | DomesticViolenceBattery | DeclinationofProsecution |

BondingOutofJail | Burglary | ChildPornography,Possessionof | ConcealedFirearms,Poss.byFelon |

CriminalMischief | DealingInStolenProperty | DisorderlyConduct/Intoxication |
Diversion&1stOffenses | DrivingwithaSuspendedLicenseHTO | DrugCrimes | DUI |
FailuretoRegister,SexOffender | FleeingorAttemptingtoElude | LeavingtheSceneofanAccident |
PetitTheft/GrandTheft | PossessionofAlcoholbyaMinor | PracticingHealthCareWithoutaLicense |
RecklessDriving | ResistinganOfficerWithoutViolence,orWithViolence | Robbery | Seal&Expunge |
StatuteofLimitations | ThrowingDeadlyMissile | Trespass | VehicleForfeiture | VideoVoyeurism |
ViolationofProbation | WithholdOfAdjudication | WorthlessChecks | LoiteringorProwling |

320NMagnoliaAveSuiteB1
Orlando,FL32801

Phone:4074231117
Fax:4074231118
Email:jguidrylaw@msn.com

Weservethefollowinglocalities:OrangeCountyincludingWinterGarden,WinterPark,Apopka,Maitland,Ocoee,
Orlando,andWindermereBrevardCountyincludingMelbourne,Cocoa,andMerrittIslandOsceolaCountyincluding
KissimmeeandSt.CloudandSeminoleCountyincludingSanford,Longwood,Casselberry,andLakeMary.

DeclinationofProsecution::OrlandoDomesticViolenceBatteryAttorneyJohnP.GuidryII

Copyright2017,JohnP.GuidryII

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