Brainerd, MN asked in Criminal Law, Civil Rights and Civil Litigation for Minnesota

Q: I'm a "victim" however I wish to not be considered that and am sick of the state calling me that. Can I press charges

2 Lawyer Answers

A: No. Individuals do not "press" charges. Charges are filed by the police (in the case of a citation) or the prosecutor. In any event, the State referring to you as a victim would not be a crime.

A: In Minnesota, only the government can initiate a criminal charge; by filing a charging document with the Court. But an individual can make a complaint about a criminal act to the government: its police officers and-or its prosecuting attorneys. In contrast, an individual can file a civil lawsuit for an alleged civil wrong. Most who do, use a civil litigation attorney to help with that.

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