what does it mean by pressing charges?

[jeann1108]

i live in CA, i made a TRO a month ago against my husband. on the day of the incident i call the cops but they don't arrest him. i go the next day to the police station and make a spousal battery report. they asked me if i want to press charges but i don't understand what it means. is it too late if i change my mind to press charges? because we had a hearing date for TRO yesterday and was postpone until next month for translator.

 

[CdwJava]

i live in CA, i made a TRO a month ago against my husband. on the day of the incident i call the cops but they don't arrest him. i go the next day to the police station and make a spousal battery report. they asked me if i want to press charges but i don't understand what it means. is it too late if i change my mind to press charges? because we had a hearing date for TRO yesterday and was postpone until next month for translator.

You are asked if you want to press charges for some crimes because the state will not want to pursue a prosecution if you do not care. However, if this was a domestic violence case, they should never have asked you that. Maybe they could have asked if you wanted to see him prosecuted in court, but since it is the state that prosecutes him and pursues charges, you really have no say in the matter once it is reported.

Noi, it is not "too late" to ask that he be charged, but it is very likely that he will not be charged after a month. But, you can ask.

When you get the TRO, report any violation. Insist upon a report, and ask each time that the report be sent to the District Attorney for prosecution.