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H.B. 293 Enrolled

             1     

VICTIMS' RIGHTS AMENDMENTS

             2     
2010 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: R. Curt Webb

             5     
Senate Sponsor: David P. Hinkins

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill adds back in subsections inadvertently deleted in a previous bill that apply to
             10      appellate rights for victims.
             11      Highlighted Provisions:
             12          This bill:
             13          .    adds back in two subsections deleted in a previous bill which apply to appellate
             14      rights for victims.
             15      Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
             16          None
             17      Other Special Clauses:
             18          None
             19      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             20      AMENDS:
             21          77-38-11, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2009, Chapter 120
             22     
             23      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             24          Section 1. Section 77-38-11 is amended to read:
             25           77-38-11. Enforcement -- Appellate review -- No right to money damages.
             26          (1) If a person acting under color of state law willfully or wantonly fails to perform
             27      duties so that the rights in this chapter are not provided, an action for injunctive relief,
             28      including prospective injunctive relief, may be brought against the individual and the
             29      governmental entity that employs the individual.


             30          (2) (a) The victim of a crime or representative of a victim of a crime, including any
             31      Victims' Rights Committee as defined in Section 77-37-5 may:
             32          [(a)] (i) bring an action for declaratory relief or for a writ of mandamus defining or
             33      enforcing the rights of victims and the obligations of government entities under this chapter;
             34          [(b)] (ii) petition to file an amicus brief in any court in any case affecting crime
             35      victims; and
             36          [(c)] (iii) after giving notice to the prosecution and the defense, seek an appropriate
             37      remedy for a violation of a victim's right from the judge assigned to the case involving the
             38      issue as provided in Section 77-38-11 .
             39          (b) Adverse rulings on these actions or on a motion or request brought by a victim of a
             40      crime or a representative of a victim of a crime may be appealed under the rules governing
             41      appellate actions, provided that an appeal may not constitute grounds for delaying any
             42      criminal or juvenile proceeding.
             43          (c) An appellate court shall review all properly presented issues, including issues that
             44      are capable of repetition but would otherwise evade review.
             45          (3) (a) Upon a showing that the victim has not unduly delayed in seeking to protect the
             46      victim's right, and after hearing from the prosecution and the defense, the judge shall
             47      determine whether a right of the victim has been violated.
             48          (b) If the judge determines that a victim's right has been violated, the judge shall
             49      proceed to determine the appropriate remedy for the violation of the victim's right by hearing
             50      from the victim and the parties, considering all factors relevant to the issue, and then awarding
             51      an appropriate remedy to the victim. The court shall reconsider any judicial decision or
             52      judgment affected by a violation of the victim's right and determine whether, upon affording
             53      the victim the right and further hearing from the prosecution and the defense, the decision or
             54      judgment would have been different. If the court's decision or judgment would have been
             55      different, the court shall enter the new different decision or judgment as the appropriate
             56      remedy. If necessary to protect the victim's right, the new decision or judgment shall be
             57      entered nunc pro tunc to the time the first decision or judgment was reached. In no event shall


             58      the appropriate remedy be a new trial, damages, attorney fees, or costs.
             59          (c) The appropriate remedy shall include only actions necessary to provide the victim
             60      the right to which the victim was entitled and may include reopening previously held
             61      proceedings. Subject to Subsection (3)(d), the court may reopen a sentence or a previously
             62      entered guilty or no contest plea only if doing so would not preclude continued prosecution or
             63      sentencing the defendant and would not otherwise permit the defendant to escape justice. Any
             64      remedy shall be tailored to provide the victim an appropriate remedy without violating any
             65      constitutional right of the defendant.
             66          (d) If the court sets aside a previously entered plea of guilty or no contest, and
             67      thereafter continued prosecution of the charge is held to be prevented by the defendant's
             68      having been previously put in jeopardy, the order setting aside the plea is void and the plea is
             69      reinstated as of the date of its original entry.
             70          (e) The court may not award as a remedy the dismissal of any criminal charge.
             71          (f) The court may not award any remedy if the proceeding that the victim is
             72      challenging occurred more than 90 days before the victim filed an action alleging the violation
             73      of the right.
             74          (4) The failure to provide the rights in this chapter or Title 77, Chapter 37, Victims'
             75      Rights, shall not constitute cause for a judgment against the state or any government entity, or
             76      any individual employed by the state or any government entity, for monetary damages,
             77      attorney fees, or the costs of exercising any rights under this chapter.


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