My daughter was arrested for assaulting me, do I have any options to help me to not testify against her?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
My daughter was arrested for assaulting me, do I have any options to help me to not testify against her?
She grabbed me by the throat. I am now being summoned to court as a victim/witness. This will indefinitely destroy my relationship with my daughter if I do this.
Asked on June 23, 2015 under Criminal Law, Massachusetts
Answers:
M.D., Member, California and New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 9 years ago | Contributor
You did not mention whether or not you were subpeonaed to testify. If not, then you don't need to appear in court, although you will in all liklihood then be subpeonaed. If you did receive one then you can't not just show. A subpoena is an order from a court requiring a witnesses appearance. If you ignore it, you can be held in contempt and a warrant for failure to appear can be issued for your arrest; you can also face fines and/or jailtime.
Additionally, many times victims try to refuse to testify by invoking the Fifth Amendment (i.e. the right against self-incrimination). However, this right doesn't apply simply in your case; it only applies if your own testimony would cause you to incriminate yourself (which does not seem to be the case from the facts presented). A witness who refuses to testify can be held in contempt of court and jailed and/or fined.
At this point, you may want to consult directly with a criminal law attorney. After you go over all of the details of your situation, they can best advise you further.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.