Luckily, yes, courts can excuse or dismiss prior strikes in the interest of justice. Sometimes prosecutors will choose to 'strike' strike allegations. They might do this if they think the defendant does not deserve to be treated as a striker. A prosecutor might also get rid of a strike allegation if they think it will be too hard to prove. A criminal defense attorney can also ask the judge to dismiss a strike prior. They can do this with a Romero motion A criminal defense attorney can get a strike prior dismissed with a Romero motion. A Romero motion asks a judge to dismiss a strike in the interest of justice. The judge will make a decision based on all the circumstances.