Your Rights

Victim’s rights are found in many different laws. Here is a list of your rights. There is a list of personal injury crimes on this website.

You do not have to do anything to get most of these rights. However, you must ask for the ones that are in bold.

Immediately After the Crime
Immediately after the crime happens, you have the right:
  • To be told about services to help you
  • To be told when a suspect is arrested (personal injury crime)
  • To be told if the offender is held in jail or detention or is released after the arrest
  • To be told if the offender escapes before a trial or hearing and when the offender is caught
  • To tell how you feel before charges are reduced or dropped, before any change in a plea, or before a case is diverted from the court process including an informal adjustment or a consent decree (personal injury crime)
  • When a protection from abuse order (PFA) is violated, you must be told if the offender is released on bail (personal injury crime)
In Court
When the case goes to court, you have the right:
  • To have someone go with you to court hearings. This can be a family member, friend, or a victim advocate
  • To be given the time and place when the judge will sentence the defendant (personal injury crime)
  • To tell the judge how you feel about the offender’s sentence before the judge decides the outcome of the case. This includes the physical, emotional, and financial effects of the crime on you (victim impact statement)
  • To have a victim advocate help you with an oral and/or written victim impact statement for the judge
  • To attend the trial. You can go even if you want to give your opinion when the judge decides the outcome of the case
  • To be told if the judge considers a sentence of boot camp for the offender. You can say how you feel about the offender going to boot camp
  • To be told the sentence of the offender
  • To be told about the filing, hearing or disposition of appeals (personal injury crime)
When the Offender is in Jail or Prison
If the offender is sent to a county jail or to state prison:
  • To tell the judge how you feel about the offender’s work or medical release
  • To be told if the offender escapes and when the offender is caught (personal injury crime)
  • To tell the state prison or parole officials how you feel before the offender is released (personal injury crime)
  • To be told when the offender leaves jail or prison
If the offender is re-sentenced:
  • To be told about any re-sentencing decision
  • To tell the judge how you feel about the re-sentencing
If the prosecutor agrees to early parole for an offender who has committed a personal injury crime:
  • To be told by the prosecutor that the request was made
  • To tell the judge what you think about this
If the offender is sentenced to execution, you have the right:
  • To be at the execution. You must first register with the Office of the Victim Advocate and be chosen to attend
Additional Rights
You also have the right:
  • To be told when the offender is no longer under supervision (personal injury crime)
  • To be paid back by the defendant (restitution)
  • To have a victim advocate help you prepare, file, and follow-up a claim with the Victim Compensation Assistance Program (VCAP)
  • To have your property returned when it is not needed as evidence
When the Offender is a Juvenile
If the person who committed the crime is a juvenile (under age 18), you also have the following rights:
  • To be told about all hearings
  • To be told how the juvenile will be held accountable for the crime
  • If the judge has a hearing to review the juvenile’s progress, you can give your opinion on any changes. You can write a letter or speak in court (personal injury crime)
  • When the juvenile is sent to live somewhere other than his or her home, you can ask to be told when:
    • The juvenile leaves the facility including temporary leaves and home passes (personal injury crime)
    • If the juvenile escapes or does not come back after a leave or home pass (personal injury crime)
    • When the juvenile is caught (personal injury crime)
    • If the juvenile is moved from one place to another that is different from a previously decided plan. You also have the right to write a letter if you disagree with the new plan (personal injury crime)