77-38-3. Notification to victims -- Initial notice, election to receive subsequent
notices -- Form of notice -- Protected victim information.
(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 ten, 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.
Amended by Chapter 339, 2008 General Session
Amended by Chapter 382, 2008 General Session
Download Code Section Zipped WordPerfect 77_38_000300.ZIP 4,086 Bytes
Sections in this Chapter|Chapters in this Title|All Titles|Legislative Home Page
Last revised: Thursday, May 28, 2009