what can i do if the county attorney decides not to file a rape case in kansas

by Delta Grimes 7 min read

Can a prosecutor refuse to prosecute a statutory rape case?

Sep 30, 2021 · The Kansas law dates back to 1887, and was designed to ensure that people who do not have wealth or power can still have a shot at …

Can a victim force an unwilling prosecutor to file charges?

Do Not Sell My Personal Information. 7031 Koll Center Pkwy, Pleasanton, CA 94566. master:2021-10-20_10-59-58. Generally speaking, a victim cannot press charges nor force an unwilling prosecutor to file charges or seek an indictment from a grand jury. The prosecutor, exercising "prosecutorial discretion," has the final say.

Can a Prosecutor decide not to pursue a case in West Virginia?

It can only hear and decide cases that claim damages of $10,000 or less. Limited civil courts can only hear and decide cases for up to $25,000. While these are heard in California superior courts, the judge has to follow the jurisdictional limits in these cases. Exclusive Jurisdiction, which means that only a particular court can decide a case.

Can a district attorney refuse to prosecute a case?

If more than one (1) year has passed, the Defendant may still file an action to vacate the default judgment but must do so only by strictly following Trial Rule 60(B) of the Indiana Rules of Trial Procedure. This can be a complicated procedure for which …

How do you solve a rape case?

Rape Risk ReductionSecure your car and home. ... Avoid unsafe situations and strangers. ... Flee if you are in a potentially dangerous situation. ... Engage in passive or active resistance. ... Think! ... You are responsible for your own safety. ... Don't let a stranger inside your home to use the phone; make the call for him.More items...

Is there a statute of limitations on statutory rape?

The statute of limitations for charges of rape in the first or second degree is 20 years after commission. The 20-year deadline does not apply to charges of first or second-degree rape of a victim who was under the age of 16 at the time or to charges of first, second, or-third degree rape of a child.May 19, 2021

What is a statutory limit?

Statutory limits means an insurance carrier's amount of liability under a specific excess insurance policy, capped at the maximum amount allowed by statute.

Why is public pressure important in prosecuting?

Because prosecutorial discretion is a legitimate component of the prosecutor's powers, a private person usually has very few options to force the prosecutor to act. Courts will not intervene to force the prosecutor's hand. Most of the time, if the case is sensational, public pressure is the best means of persuasion.

What does a prosecutor do in a criminal case?

In any criminal investigation, a prosecutor chooses which charge or charges to file or seek from a grand jury. A prosecutor also has the discretion to refrain from filing any charges at all. A prosecutor may choose not to pursue a criminal case for several reasons. Political pressure.

Can a victim press charges?

Generally speaking, a victim cannot press charges nor force an unwilling prosecutor to file charges or seek an indictment from a grand jury. The prosecutor, exercising "prosecutorial discretion," has the final say.

What are the duties of a prosecutor?

Prosecutors must carry out their duties to the public they represent , but like most public agencies and private businesses, resources are finite. A prosecutor may decide to make prosecution of certain offenses a priority, while offenses that are deemed lower priority might not be as vigorously pursued.

What is a writ of mandamus?

This approach involves using a legal tool called a "writ of mandamus.". Usable when a public official fails to take official action, a private person may seek this writ, which asks for a court order directing an official to perform a duty that the official is under a legal obligation to perform. A writ of mandamus, however, is not available in most ...

Who has the final say when it comes to filing charges?

Most of the time, prosecutors have the final say when it comes to filing charges or asking a grand jury for an indictment. Political or public pressure sometimes changes their minds.

What is venue in a lawsuit?

While jurisdiction says in what state and what court you file your lawsuit, “venue” is the county where you file your action.#N#Usually, venue is in the county where: 1 The person you are suing lives or does business (if you are suing a business or organization); or 2 The dispute arose, like where an accident happened, or where a contract was entered into or broken.

What is subject matter jurisdiction?

There are three types of subject matter jurisdiction: General Jurisdiction, which means that a court has the ability to hear and decide a wide range of cases. Unless a law or constitutional provision denies them jurisdiction, courts of general jurisdiction can handle any kind of case.

Can you sue the federal government?

You can only sue the federal government or a federal agency in federal court. The most common way to have personal jurisdiction over a person, a business or an organization is by suing where that person lives, or, for a business or organization, where they do business. In general, all California superior courts have jurisdiction over a person ...

What is limited jurisdiction?

Limited Jurisdiction, which means that a court has restrictions on the cases it can decide. Small claims court is a court of limited jurisdiction. It can only hear and decide cases that claim damages of $10,000 or less. Limited civil courts can only hear and decide cases for up to $25,000.

What is exclusive jurisdiction in California?

Exclusive Jurisdiction, which means that only a particular court can decide a case . For example, bankruptcy court is a court with exclusive subject matter jurisdiction. A person can only file a bankruptcy action in ...

What is bankruptcy court?

For example, bankruptcy court is a court with exclusive subject matter jurisdiction. A person can only file a bankruptcy action in a federal bankruptcy court. State courts have no jurisdiction in bankruptcy cases. The types of cases discussed in this website are almost all cases you can file in your superior court because it has subject matter ...

What happens if the plaintiff fails to appear in court?

If the Plaintiff fails to appear for the trial and the Defendant appear and has filed a counterclaim, the Judge may enter a default judgment against the Plaintiff based on the Defendant's counterclaim, assuming the Defendant satisfied all the requirements for a default judgment.

How long does it take to file a motion to vacate a judgment?

This usually must be filed within one (1) year from the date the default judgment was entered.

Can a judge rule on a motion without a hearing?

If the Motion is properly filed, the Judge may schedule a court date to consider and hear evidence about the Motion. Or the Judge may rule on the Motion without a hearing. The party asking the Judge to vacate or cancel the default judgment must show "good cause" meaning a very good reason for vacating the default judgment.

What happens if a case is rejected?

If the case is actually rejected, one must obtain a letter from the district attorney’s office stating this. If, however, there has just been a delay in filing, the district attorney’s office may still file charges at a later time.

What is a Serna motion?

If the district attorney files the case beyond the applicable statute of limitations, the defendant can file what is known as a Serna Motion. Generally, the defendant must show that he or she has been prejudiced by the delay. Prejudice is presumed when the prosecution delays more than the statute of limitations period.

What to do if you are charged with a crime?

If you have been unexpectedly charged with a crime, contact an experienced criminal defense attorney right away. You cannot rely on assurances from the victim that he or she is not pressing charges and hope that everything will be okay.

Who decides whether to charge someone with a crime?

From there, the prosecutor or district attorney will decide whether to charge anyone with a crime. What the victim thinks is the appropriate punishment for the alleged perpetrator does factor into the prosecutor’s decision – especially given the recently passed Marsy’s Law.

Karren Melinda Kenney

Unfortunately, there is no higher court to appeal to. In Orange County, a homicide DA is assigned to review the police reports regarding the killing. If the assigned DA determines there is not enough evidence to convict the suspect beyond a reasonable doubt, they will not file the murder charge.

Jennifer J Wirsching

If the DA declines to prosecute a potential murder, then there must be very weak evidence indeed, since they usually charge first and ask questions later. They have the power to choose to prosecute or not to prosecute. There is no way to force them to, there is no "appeal" because it is not a court decision.

Kelvin P. Green

I will add you always have the court of public opinion...#N#Remember murder trials are extremely costly, they won't embark on a trial unless they have enough evidence to convict...

Robert Lee Marshall

The District Attorney is ethically obligated NOT to file a criminal case if they do not believe they can prove it beyond a reasonable doubt.#N#You could contact the California Attorney General, but the AG will not take over prosecution unless they believe the DA has abused the discretion of that office...

Dana B. Carron

You could probably contact the Governor's office and ask them to put in their two cents and side with you to attempt to have the DA reconsider.

Do victims have rights in a criminal case?

Crime victims don't have any rights to control whether a prosecution happens—the government is the plaintiff. A prosecutor can even file charges over a victim's objections. Federal law and some states have Crime Victims' Rights Acts, which do grant some rights. But note the particularly relevant exception in that law:

What can Bob do to convince Alice to prosecute?

united-states. Bob could do any number of things to try to convince someone to prosecute Alice: call the prosecutor's boss, or the district attorney ( or their equivalents in DOJ if it's a federal crime), or his elected representatives; he could also go to the media, or post on social networks...

Can a prosecutor proceed with a case?

One can, of course, request the local prosecutor to proceed with a case. This can be backed with a campaign to draw public attention, and hence political influence, to the case. The prosecutor can always decided to proceed with a case (unless a statute of limitations has expired).

What is Rule 506B?

If it is not approved Rule 506 (B) allows the complainant to request judicial review of the disapproval. The standard for review of a prosecutor's refusal to approve criminal charges is abuse of discretion.

What is the standard of proof in civil court?

Civil court has a lower standard of proof. In civil court, the standard of evidence is "51% more likely than not". This makes it a great deal easier to get an accusation across the finish line. In cases thin on hard evidence, it bottom-lines to who the jury believes.

Can a prosecutor file charges against a suspect?

Prosecutors can file charges on all crimes for which the police arrested a suspect, can file charges that are more or less severe than the charges leveled by the police, or can decide not to file any charges at all. ( U.S. v. Batchelder, U.S. Sup. Ct. 1979.)

What is an arrest report?

Arrest reports summarize the events leading up to arrests and provide numerous other details, such as dates, time, location, weather conditions, and witnesses' names and addresses. Arrest reports are almost always one-sided.