The case disposition notes that "Courtney Irby went to substantial lengths to be labeled a domestic violence victim. It appears that those efforts were, at least in part, focused on obtaining an advantage in the highly emotional contested divorce action between Joseph and Courtney Irby."

BARTOW — The State Attorney's Office dropped all charges this week in the domestic violence case involving estranged Lakeland couple Joseph and Courtney Irby.

The Irbys agreed to participate in a 12-month pretrial intervention program after prosecutors determined that Courtney Irby had committed burglary of a conveyance and unlawfully installed a tracking device in her husband's car on June 14, according to the case disposition released by State Attorney Brian Haas.

The couple, who were in the middle of a divorce, gained national attention after Lakeland police arrested Courtney Irby June 15 when she showed up at the department with two weapons she said she had taken from Joseph Irby's apartment. Irby told an LPD officer that she feared her estranged husband might harm her or their two children.

Joseph Irby was arrested the day before on a felony aggravated battery with a deadly weapon charge by Bartow police after his wife called to report that he was following her in his vehicle and had allegedly hit her vehicle with his from behind.

The SAO also said it found new evidence regarding the two cases already filed.

"The State had reason to believe that Courtney Irby had surreptitiously placed a GPS tracker in Joseph's vehicle," read the case disposition.

Investigators found the tracker inside the car, and when cell tower data was pulled, it placed Courtney Irby in Bartow, where Joseph Irby's car was parked, several hours after he was arrested, according to the SAO. She admitted to installing the tracking device, according to the case disposition.

"When the facts and circumstances justify it, burglary charges between divorcing spouses will be filed," read the disposition.

The SAO said cell tower data also confirmed that Courtney Irby was at Joseph Irby's apartment on June 15 around midday, and places her at the same location the night of June 14 — after she left Bartow, when she illegally entered his car, according to the state attorney.

"This evidence suggests she may have been inside his apartment prior to Saturday's First Appearance Hearing," read the disposition. Courtney Irby's sworn testimony that she started her day by getting coffee on June 14 was contradicted, said the SAO, by cell tower data that places her in Tampa "before traveling to the Lakeland Police Department to misrepresent Joseph Irby's criminal history in an effort to have him arrested," according to the disposition.

The SAO also says that Courtney Irby led investigators to believe that on the night of June 14 she was in bed with a gun under her pillow for protection. Cell tower data contradicts the accounts of her whereabouts, according to the disposition.

The case disposition notes that "Courtney Irby went to substantial lengths to be labeled a domestic violence victim. It appears that those efforts were, at least in part, focused on obtaining an advantage in the highly emotional contested divorce action between Joseph and Courtney Irby," and added that "both parties have shown the proclivity to let this highly contested divorce action get the best of their emotions and ability to use their best judgments."

The SAO wrote that the office believed that with the criminal charges resolved, the family law court can go ahead with the divorce and injunction proceedings to resolve the couple's issues.

"Each party should take advantage of this resolution and take steps to avoid becoming involved with the criminal justice system in the future," wrote the SAO.

Kathy Leigh Berkowitz can be reached at kberkowitz@theledger.com or at 863-802-7558. Follow her on Twitter @kberkowitz@theledger.com.