I don't really appreciate having my intelligence insulted. Perhaps you are having difficulty understanding not-too-complicated concepts, since you refer to my mother-in-law, when in fact, we are talking about MY mother. I like to think of this forum as a place to seek out help, and to tap the wisdom of people who are more experienced than myself, not as a place to be talked down to.
I do indeed have a court date: 8/19/14 Case number GC14005168-00. The defendant has an attorney, which is something I didn't expect. The complainant is listed as my wife. There is no mention of a CA anywhere, so I will contact the court this afternoon to find out if there is one. Since I don't know who the CA is, I obviously can't talk to him/her about #2. As for #3, my wife gave the magistrate my information and requested that I be subpoenaed for the trial.
'Scuze me for getting the relationship mixed up, but do you think it really matters?
Of course the defendant has an attorney. They are entitled to one and if they cannot afford one, one will be appointed by the court. I'm guessing she found the money herself but could be wrong.
We have alread explained to you that the crime was committed against the Commonwealth and not your wife. She just happened to be there to get socked/pushed/whatever. Seeing as how the crime is against the Commonwealth it will send its legal representative, the Commonwealth Attorney, to represent it. If for some reason the CA does not appear, your wife needs to jump up and ask the judge for a continuance until the CA shows up (that day or a later date).
ETA: Your mother has an attorney. The Commonwealth Attorney has to show up even if s/he wants to dismiss the charges - and your wife should be told that before the trial starts. Also, she can object to the charges being dismissed - she just has to stand up and tell the judge she objects.
You do not need to have been personally introduced to the Commonwealth Attorney. Their office phone number is listed in the blue pages of the phone book, or you can look it up on line, or you can call 411 and ask for the number of the CA's office in the jurisdiction whee this all happened/will be tried. Call the number and tell the nice person who answers the phone that you want to discuss the defendant threatening to take out a restraining order against both you and your wife if your wife does not agree to "drop" the charges. Or more precisely, that they have in fact done so but that you are still waiting for te police/sheriff to serve the order(s). That nice person will figure out who to connect you with or whose voice mail to connect you to.
It's really nice that your wife asked the magistrate to subpeona you as a witness. But more importantly, did she fill out the form for subpeona of a witness? If not, she can go to the magistrate or to the clerk of the court and fill out the form. Just have her bring the case ID information with her to make things easier.
OR - you could do all of that when you talk with the Commonwealth Attorney.
You need to understand that these matters have been explained and told to you and you have been given instructions on what to do and how to do it. Several times. But you still have not done very much and it seems you are doing all the legwork instead of your wife, the aggrieved party, doing it. Tat's gallant and all, but in reality it is her responsibility.
I cannot speak for anybody else, but I feel as if someone has an agenda they are playing out when they have been told something they need to do and how to do it several times but still come back with questions about what to do and say they don't know how to do it. The agenda I feel they have is to either appear to be a fool or to play the fool for some as-yet undiscovered reason.
I do not suffer fools well. But I do so love playing with them and yanking hard on their chains.
It's after the close of business Tuesday 7/22. You and/or your wife should be able to do all of the above by the close of business Thursday 7/24. I'll be intersted in reading any excuses/explanations you might want to put forth as to why the two of you could not get everything done by then.
stay safe.
