---
title: "Can felony assault charges be dropped if the victim does not want to press charges in Rhode Island?"
description: "Not automatically. In Rhode Island, the decision to bring or drop a felony assault charge belongs to the state, not to the alleged victim. Once police are involved, the prosecutor controls the case,..."
url: https://bankandmunns.com/faq-items/can-felony-assault-charges-be-dropped-if-the-victim-does-not-want-to-press-charges-in-rhode-island/
date: 2026-08-19
modified: 2026-08-19
author: "Bank and Munns"
type: avada_faq
lang: en
---

# Can felony assault charges be dropped if the victim does not want to press charges in Rhode Island?

Not automatically. In Rhode Island, the decision to bring or drop a felony assault charge belongs to the state, not to the alleged victim. Once police are involved, the prosecutor controls the case, and they can move forward even if the complaining witness later says they do not want to proceed. A victim's wishes do carry weight, and a prosecutor may take a reluctant witness into account when deciding how to resolve a case, but they are not bound by it and can subpoena the witness to testify. This surprises many people who assume that a family member or acquaintance who no longer wants to pursue the matter can simply call it off. Because the state holds the power here, the path to a better outcome runs through negotiation and defense strategy rather than through the victim alone.