In California, even if the victim of domestic violence drops the charges, they still do not go away. Once someone charges another person with domestic violence, and law enforcement becomes involved, then the state steps in. At that point, the charge is not only brought by the victim but also by the state of California itself. Should the accuser later decide to drop the charges, he or she may do so, but that has no impact on the state's case and California will typically continue with the charge.
In some cases, the alleged victim never even reported the incident to the police. A child, a family friend, or a neighbor could have witnessed one spouse striking the other and reported it to the police. Orange County police are required to investigate cases of suspected domestic violence and may arrest you even if the alleged victim claims you are innocent or refuses to testify.
Even in cases where the accuser tells prosecutors that he or she lied about the violence, the case will probably still go forward. In many instances of domestic violence, the victim will try to protect his or her abuser, so California law has taken control of prosecution largely out of the victim's hands. If you or someone you know has been accused of domestic violence, contact an experienced defense attorney immediately to represent and protect you.