( CNN ) -- Joran van der Sloot is willing to confess to a `` simple homicide '' charge in relation to the May 2010 death of a woman in Peru , but not to more serious charges that would carry longer prison terms , his lawyer said Monday . Meanwhile , the victim 's family asked a three-judge panel for a more stringent charge that could have the 24-year-old Dutch national 's indictment sent back to the prosecutor 's office -- a move that could prompt a delay in his trial , if the court assents -- the Lima , Peru , Superior Court said Monday . Both the accused and the victim 's family disagree with the indictment proposed by prosecutor Miriam Riveros Castellares . She is asking the panel to indict Van der Sloot on charges of qualified murder and simple robbery , which carry 28-year and 2-year sentences . He would also make a restitution payment of $ 73,000 to the victim 's family . Attorney Luis Jiminez Navarro and his client , Van der Sloot , did not attend the hearing due to what Navarro described as the massive media interest in the case . But the lawyer did submit his response to a proposed indictment in writing , asking for a simple homicide charge that could carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison . He said , too , that his client would confess to this charge . But the attorney for the family of the victim , Stephany Flores , told the three judges that the prosecutor 's proposed indictment against Van der Sloot had `` mistakes , '' a news release from the court said . It did not specify what mistakes Edward Alvarez Yrala referred to in his arguments . According to Navarro , Yrala asked the court to charge Van der Sloot with a charge akin to aggravated murder , which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison . The panel has 15 days to decide on Yrala 's request for a new indictment . If a decision is made not to return the indictment to the prosecutor 's office , a date will be set for Van der Sloot to stand trial on murder and theft charges , the court said . Flores was found dead in Van der Sloot 's hotel room in Lima last year . Police say Van der Sloot took money and bank cards from her wallet and fled to Chile , where he was arrested a few days later . Three Peruvian drivers who allegedly helped Van der Sloot flee to Chile are also charged in the case . Prosecutors want five-year prison sentences for them and fines of about $ 1,800 . Van der Sloot was once the prime suspect in the disappearance of Alabama teenager Natalee Holloway , who vanished while on a graduation trip to the Caribbean island of Aruba . He was arrested twice but never charged in connection with Holloway 's disappearance , which remains unsolved . Before he resigned earlier this year as Van der Sloot 's lawyer in the Peruvian case , Maximo Altez told In Session his client attacked Flores after she found something on his computer that tied him to Holloway . He gave In Session a copy of a motion he filed asking that Van der Sloot face a lesser charge for a crime of passion . `` My client ... admits having murdered the victim , but not with ferocity , for profit or pleasure , nor any of the other element ( s ) that make up this murder , but only by violent emotion that overtook him at the time he was attacked by the victim , '' the motion read . Van der Sloot was arrested in June of last year in relation to Flores ' death , but was not formally charged until this month . Earlier this month , Flores ' family urged prosecutors to file charges , warning that Van der Sloot could be released by December unless the case goes ahead . Under Peruvian law , if a suspect 's trial does n't begin within 18 months of his arrest , he is set free . In Session 's Mayra Cuevas contributed to this report .
NEW : Van der Sloot 's lawyer wants a charge that could have a 20-year maximum term . The victim 's family wants an indictment on a charge that could carry a lifetime sentence . Judges could return the indictment to prosecutors , delaying the start of the trial . Van der Sloot was arrested last year after a woman was found dead in his hotel room .