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- Exercising Your Victim Rights in Maryland
Exercising Your Victim Rights in Maryland
Review a list of your victim rights in Maryland and how to take action.
Justice System Events | Your Rights | Take Action |
---|---|---|
1) Contact Law Enforcement Officials to Report the Incident. |
Crime Victims and Witnesses: Your Rights and Services [brochure] is given to you by the responding law enforcement official, as well as information on protection available. | File for a Protective or Peace Order, seek Crisis Intervention Services, apply for Criminal Injuries Compensation, and subscribe to VINE (Victim Information and Notification Everyday). |
2) Crime Report is Investigated by Law Enforcement. In the event of an arrest you are informed. |
N/A | N/A |
3) Your case is forwarded to the State's Attorney's Office for prosecution | N/A | N/A |
4) Prosecution of Case By State's Attorney's Office Begins. | - Crime Victim Notification Request and Demand for Rights Form is given to you by State's Attorney's Office within 10 days of criminal indictment/bill of information. - You are given prior notice of any court proceedings. (Notice is sent to you by the State's Attorney's Office.) - Your Rights as a Victim in the Criminal and Juvenile Justice Process [brochure] is distributed to you by State's Attorney's Office within 10 days of criminal indictment/bill of information. |
- Send your completed Crime Victim Notification Request Form to the State's Attorney's Office. You must submit this form in order to exercise your notification rights. - Exercise your right to attend hearings. |
5) Case Proceeds to Trial/Plea. State's Attorney's Office notifies you of court proceedings. |
N/A | N/A |
6) Sentencing Hearing Prior to sentencing the Court considers the victim impact statement. |
- You are notified of your right to submit a Victim Impact Statement and seek Restitution. - You are informed of judicial action taken as a result of court proceedings. (Informed by State's Attorney's Office.) |
- Exercise your right to submit a written Impact Statement to the court, be present and/or heard prior to sentencing of the offender. - Exercise your right to apply for restitution. |
7) Post Sentencing Proceedings If appealed, Attorney General's Office notifies victim of Appellate proceedings |
- You are informed by State's Attorney's Office of post-sentence court proceedings such as modifications, probation hearings, review of sentence or that an appeal has been filed. - You will be notified by the Attorney General's Office of Court of Special Appeals or Court of Appeals proceedings |
Exercise your right to be present and/or heard. |
8) Parole Activity. Parole hearings, eligibility or release. |
You are informed by Parole Commission of parole eligibility status, parole hearings, your right to request an open hearing, and commission decisions. | Exercise your right to be present and/or heard. |
9) Violation of Parole/Probation. Warrant/subpoena issued for arrest of parolee or probationer. |
- You are informed if a warrant/subpoena has been issued for alleged violation of parole or probation. - You are informed of outcome upon completion of violation hearings. - You are informed by Division of Parole and Probation or Department of Juvenile Services. |
N/A |
10) Inmate Status at Correctional Facility. | - You are informed if the inmate escapes, is transferred to another correctional facility, is released or dies while incarcerated. - You are informed by Correctional Facility. |
N/A |