Which statement is true about court dismissals?

• A. Only a prosecutor can request a case be dismissed.
• B. The peace officer may request the dismissal.
• C. The clerk may dismiss a case unilaterally.
• D. The judge may dismiss without a request.

Answer: (A)

Dismissals end criminal proceedings by dropping charges, and who initiates that step matters. The prosecuting attorney has the authority to request dismissal by filing a formal motion or entering a nolle prosequi, since prosecutors control the charges and the course of the prosecution. A peace officer’s role is to investigate and assist the case, not to end it by unilateral decision. Clerks handle administrative duties and cannot unilaterally dismiss a case. A judge generally acts in response to a proper motion or legal procedure; while a judge can dismiss in certain limited scenarios, the usual and most direct way to bring a case to a close before trial is through the prosecutor’s request.