Nolle Prosequi

nol·le pros·e·qui   (nŏl'ē prŏs'ĭ-kwī', -kwē')    n.   Abbr. nol. pros. A declaration that the plaintiff in a civil case or the prosecutor in a criminal case will drop prosecution of all or part of a suit or indictment. [Latin nōlle prōsequī, to be unwilling to pursue : nōlle, to be unwilling + prōsequī, to pursue.]

nolle prosequi 

Main Entry: nolle pros·e·qui
Pronunciation: -'prä-s&-"kwI, -"kwE
Function: noun
Etymology: Latin, to be unwilling to pursue
: an entry in a criminal action denoting that the prosecutor will not prosecute the case further in whole or as to one or more of several counts or one or more of several defendants —compare NON PROSEQUITUR

nolle prosequi

in Anglo-American law, request by a prosecutor in a criminal action that the prosecution of the case cease, either on some or all of the counts or with respect to some or all of the defendants. It usually is used when there is insufficient evidence to ensure successful prosecution or when there has been a settlement between the parties out of court. The term also has been applied to the cessation of a civil suit

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