After a case is withdrawn or you are acquitted

When a case against you ends, you may expect to feel relief. Many men do. Others feel exhausted, angry or numb, especially if the case dragged on for months or years and cost them their job, money, relationships or reputation. The end of a case is often the start of a different kind of work: putting your life back together.

This guide explains what the outcome means, the practical things to sort out, and where to find support.

What the outcome means

• Charges withdrawn. The prosecutor has decided not to continue with the case, at least for now. This can happen for many reasons, such as a lack of evidence or a witness who does not want to continue. If charges are withdrawn before you plead, you are not acquitted, and the case could be brought again later, for example if new evidence comes to light. Ask your lawyer what this means in your situation.
• Struck off the roll. The case has been taken off the court roll, often because it could not go ahead. It may be put back on the roll later.
• Acquitted. You were found not guilty. This means the state did not prove the charge beyond reasonable doubt. Once you have been acquitted, you cannot be tried again for the same offence.

A withdrawal or an acquittal does not, on its own, prove that the person who accused you lied. It means the case against you did not succeed. Keeping this in mind can help you respond calmly when people ask questions.

Practical things to sort out

1. Get proof of the outcome. Ask your lawyer or the clerk of the court for a document that shows how the case ended. Keep several copies somewhere safe.
2. Claim back your bail money. Bail money is generally returned when the case is over, if you kept to your bail conditions. Take your bail receipt and ID to the court and ask the clerk about the process.
3. Get your property back. If the police took your phone or other belongings as evidence, ask the investigating officer how to get them returned.
4. Check your criminal record. A withdrawn case or an acquittal is not a criminal conviction. But your arrest may still show on police records. If you need a police clearance certificate for work or travel, apply early. If an old case still shows, take your court documents to the police, or ask a lawyer to help you get the record corrected.
5. Check other orders. A protection order is separate from a criminal case. It does not end automatically when charges are withdrawn. Keep obeying it until a court changes or cancels it. The same applies to any court order about your children.

Work and money

If you were suspended or dismissed because of the charges, the outcome may help you. But a workplace disciplinary process is separate from a criminal case, and it follows its own rules under the Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995. The time limits for referring a dispute to the CCMA are short, so get advice quickly. See unfair dismissal and the CCMA.

If the case left you in debt, get advice before taking on new loans to cover legal costs.

Can you take action?

You may feel strongly that someone should answer for what happened to you. These are the main options to discuss with a lawyer:

• A claim against the state. If you were wrongly arrested, detained or prosecuted, you may be able to claim damages. These claims have strict time limits and notice rules, some of them short. Speak to a lawyer soon.
• Action against the accuser. If you believe the accusation was knowingly false, a lawyer can advise whether to lay a charge or bring a civil claim. Knowingly making a false report to the police is a crime, but the decision to prosecute belongs to the prosecutor, and it can be hard to prove.

Whatever you decide, don't take matters into your own hands. Don't contact, confront, name or attack the person online. This can lead to new legal action against you, and it can undo the progress you have made.

If you can't afford a private lawyer, see finding legal help you can afford.

Rebuilding your life

• Your reputation. You don't owe everyone an explanation. Prepare a short, calm sentence for people who need to know, such as an employer or close family.
• Your relationships. Trust may need time to rebuild, including with your children. Our guide on co-parenting after separation may help if the case affected your family.
• Your mental health. Anger, anxiety, low mood and difficulty trusting people are common after a long case. These feelings can hit hardest once the pressure is over. Talking to someone helps. See coping after trauma and finding a counsellor.
• Alcohol and drugs. If you are relying on them to get through, read alcohol, drugs and coping.

Sharing your experience can also help. Men for Change keeps a moderated public record of the harm men face, including false accusations, so that communities and decision-makers can see it.

Getting support

• If you are struggling to cope, call Lifeline South Africa on 0861 322 322. If you are thinking about ending your life, call the SADAG Suicide Crisis Helpline on 0800 567 567. Both are open 24 hours a day.
• For legal advice, call the Legal Aid South Africa Advice Line on 0800 110 110.
• In an emergency, call 10111, or 112 from a cell phone.
• You can tell your story anonymously at /report. It needs no name or account, and a moderator reviews every report and removes identifying details before anything is published. You will get a tracking code to check its status at /track.
• To reach the Men for Change support team, go to /contact?topic=support.
• More helplines are listed at /resources.