Legal Question in Criminal Law in District of Columbia

Re: court date?

The U.S. attorney's office on 4th St., N.W. in DC normally prosecutes misdemeanor assault cases in that jurisdiction. If the alleged victim and chief witness for the government failed to appear for the scheduled trial, the government would likely ask the court to grant it one continuance and the matter would likely be rescheduled for a new trial date. However, if the alleged victim did appear for the trial, he would not have the authority to "drop the case" since once the case has been "papered", that decision at that stage in matters lies with the prosecutor rather than with the alleged victim.