Crime can have a devastating impact on its victims. Violent crimes can leave the innocent dead, injured and emotionally damaged. Senior citizens and disabled Americans may lose their life savings to fraud and other financial crimes without an opportunity to earn it back. Regardless of whether and to what extent you suffered as a result of crime, you may be concerned about the rights and safety of you and your family and want to see that justice is done. This includes not only seeing the accused person punished but also obtaining compensation for your losses.

Florida’s constitution creates and protects a number of specific rights for you as a crime victim. Known collectively as Marsy’s Law, they include these rights:

• To be treated with fairness and respect for your dignity
• To be free from harassment, intimidation and abuse
• To be reasonably protected from the accused person and anyone acting in their behalf
• To have the safety and welfare of you and your family considered when a judge releases an accused person before trial
• To prevent the disclosure of information that might be used to locate and harass you and your family or that might disclose confidential or privileged information
• To have your property promptly returned once it’s no longer needed as evidence
• To have the criminal case against the accused person proceed without unreasonable delay and to have the case brought to a prompt and final conclusion

You are also entitled to other rights, if you request them, including these:

• To receive notice of the various stages of the criminal proceedings, including trial, plea and sentencing phases
• To confer with the prosecutor about any plea deals and sentencing
• To be heard in any public hearing concerning pretrial release, guilty pleas, sentencing, parole and expungement of the defendant’s record

Another guaranteed right is receiving restitution for losses caused by a defendant’s criminal conduct. Restitution might include damages for bodily injury, mental distress or financial loss. However, your right to just compensation is subject to certain conditions. To qualify, you must, among other things, do the following:

• Cooperate fully with the police and prosecutors
• Report the crime within three days after it occurred, unless you had a good reason not to
• File your claim within one or, in some cases, two years

In addition, you are not entitled to just compensation if you were engaged in unlawful activity at the time of the crime, if you contributed to the commission of the crime or if you are a habitual offender yourself. A knowledgeable victim’s rights attorney can help you obtain restitution to the fullest extent available.

The Law Offices of Tad A. Yates, P.A. in Orlando is ready to protect your rights as a victim of crime and help you secure restitution for the damage the crime caused to you. Call us at 407-608-7777 or contact us online to schedule an initial consultation.