Victim Rights: Notification & Participation

Court Proceedings, Parole & Post Conviction Release Proceedings:

A 'victim' is defined under the California Constitution as "a person who suffers direct or threatened physical, psychological, or financial harm as a result of the commission or attempted commission of a crime or delinquent act. The term 'victim' also includes the person's spouse, parents, children, siblings, or guardian, and includes a lawful representative of a crime victim who is deceased, a minor, or physically or psychologically incapacitated. The term 'victim' does not include a person in custody for an offense, the accused, or a person whom the court finds would not act in the best interests of a minor victim." (Cal. Const., art. I, § 28(e).)

Under Marsy’s Law, a victim has the right to reasonable notice of all public proceedings, including delinquency proceedings, upon request, at which the defendant and the prosecutor are entitled to be present and of all parole or other post-conviction release proceedings, and to be present at all such proceedings.

Further, upon request, a victim has the right to be heard, at any proceeding, including any delinquency proceeding, involving a post-arrest release decision, plea, sentencing, post-conviction release decision, or any proceeding in which a right of the victim is at issue.

If you wish to be notified of court proceedings, contact your local victim witness center or district attorney’s office.

For a listing of victim witness office nearest you, visit the State of California's Local Help page.

To obtain your local district attorney’s contact information, go to the CDAA's District Attorney Roster.

If you are a victim of crime or a victim’s family member and you wish to be notified regarding the status of an appeal, you may complete an online request for appeal status on our Criminal Appeal Victim Notification page. For further information, visit the website of the Attorney General’s Victims' Services Unit or call 1-877-433-9069.

For parole notification, restitution, inmate status, parole hearings and requests for special conditions of parole, contact the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s Office of Victim & Survivor Rights & Services. The Office of Victim & Survivor Rights & Services will provide information regarding attendance at parole consideration hearings or notification concerning future hearings. They may be reached during normal business hours at their toll-free telephone number 1-877-256-OVSS (6877) or by internet at the California Dept. of Corrections and Rehabilitation's Office of Victim & Survivor Rights & Services page.

If you would like to receive notification of the status of the adult inmate in prison, request special conditions of parole for the inmate when he or she is released from prison, or verify the collection of restitution ordered to you by the court, you may complete a Request for Victim Services form (CDCR 1707) at the California Dept. of Corrections and Rehabilitation's Victim Services page.