Home > For Everyone > Criminal Law > {More Criminal Law Topics} > Victim's Rights > Victims' Rights > Utah Code 77-38-3. Notification to victims -- Initial notice, election to receive subsequent notices -- Form of notice -- Protected victim information

Victims' Rights

For this topic:

Go back to the topic homeTopic Home
Join the forum for this topicForum
Sign up for Email related to this topicEmail
RSS feed for this topicRSS
FeedbackFeedback

Search the Utah Code

Utah Code 77-38-3. Notification to victims -- Initial notice, election to receive subsequent notices -- Form of notice -- Protected victim information

Utah Code > Title 77 > Chapter 38 > § 77-38-3 - Notification to victims -- Initial notice, election to receive subsequent notices -- Form of notice -- Protected victim information

^{Current as of: 2010}

^{Check for updates}

     (1) Within seven days of the filing of felony criminal charges against a defendant, the prosecuting agency shall provide an initial notice to reasonably identifiable and locatable victims of the crime contained in the charges, except as otherwise provided in this chapter.
     (2) The initial notice to the victim of a crime shall provide information about electing to receive notice of subsequent important criminal justice hearings listed in Subsections 77-38-2(5)(a) through (f) and rights under this chapter.
     (3) The prosecuting agency shall provide notice to a victim of a crime for the important criminal justice hearings, provided in Subsections 77-38-2(5)(a) through (f) which the victim has requested.
     (4) (a) The responsible prosecuting agency may provide initial and subsequent notices in any reasonable manner, including telephonically, electronically, orally, or by means of a letter or form prepared for this purpose.
     (b) In the event of an unforeseen important criminal justice hearing, listed in Subsections 77-38-2(5)(a) through (f) for which a victim has requested notice, a good faith attempt to contact the victim by telephone shall be considered sufficient notice, provided that the prosecuting agency subsequently notifies the victim of the result of the proceeding.
     (5) (a) The court shall take reasonable measures to ensure that its scheduling practices for the proceedings provided in Subsections 77-38-2(5)(a) through (f) permit an opportunity for victims of crimes to be notified.
     (b) The court shall also consider whether any notification system it might use to provide notice of judicial proceedings to defendants could be used to provide notice of those same proceedings to victims of crimes.
     (6) A defendant or, if it is the moving party, Adult Probation and Parole, shall give notice to the responsible prosecuting agency of any motion for modification of any determination made at any of the important criminal justice hearings provided in Subsections 77-38-2(5)(a) through (f) in advance of any requested court hearing or action so that the prosecuting agency may comply with its notification obligation.
     (7) (a) Notice to a victim of a crime shall be provided by the Board of Pardons and Parole for the important criminal justice hearing provided in Subsection 77-38-2(5)(g).
     (b) The board may provide notice in any reasonable manner, including telephonically, electronically, orally, or by means of a letter or form prepared for this purpose.
     (8) Prosecuting agencies and the Board of Pardons and Parole are required to give notice to a victim of a crime for the proceedings provided in Subsections 77-38-2(5)(a) through (f) only where the victim has responded to the initial notice, requested notice of subsequent proceedings, and provided a current address and telephone number if applicable.
     (9) (a) Law enforcement and criminal justice agencies shall refer any requests for notice or information about crime victim rights from victims to the responsible prosecuting agency.
     (b) In a case in which the Board of Pardons and Parole is involved, the responsible prosecuting agency shall forward any request for notice it has received from a victim to the Board of Pardons and Parole.
     (10) In all cases where the number of victims exceeds 10, the responsible prosecuting agency may send any notices required under this chapter in its discretion to a representative sample of the victims.

     (11) (a) A victim's address, telephone number, and victim impact statement maintained by a peace officer, prosecuting agency, Youth Parole Authority, Division of Juvenile Justice Services, Department of Corrections, and Board of Pardons and Parole, for purposes of providing notice under this section, is classified as protected as provided in Subsection 63G-2-305(10).
     (b) The victim's address, telephone number, and victim impact statement is available only to the following persons or entities in the performance of their duties:
     (i) a law enforcement agency, including the prosecuting agency;
     (ii) a victims' right committee as provided in Section 77-37-5;
     (iii) a governmentally sponsored victim or witness program;
     (iv) the Department of Corrections;
     (v) Office of Crime Victim Reparations;
     (vi) Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice; and
     (vii) the Board of Pardons and Parole.
     (12) The notice provisions as provided in this section do not apply to misdemeanors as provided in Section 77-38-5 and to important juvenile justice hearings as provided in Section 77-38-2.