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The Circuit
Courts in Maryland
are general jurisdiction
trial courts handling all
trials including:
- More serious criminal cases
- Major civil cases
- Family matters (including
divorce, child custody, child
support)
- Appeals from District Court,
Orphan’s Court, and
administrative agencies
The Circuit
Court hears all jury
trials, and oversees grand
jury proceedings.
If your offender is being
prosecuted in the Circuit Court
of your county (or Baltimore
City), the following are your
rights as a victim of crime:
- Your Right to Be Treated
with Dignity, Respect,
and Sensitivity
Article 47 of the Maryland
Declaration of Rights guarantees
you, as the victim of crime,
the right to be treated with
dignity, respect, and sensitivity
during all phases of the criminal
justice process and by all
agents of the criminal justice
system.
- Your Right to Be Notified
of Court Events Related
to Your Case
Within 10 days of the filing
of a petition to the Court,
the State’s Attorney’s
Office should send you a Crime
Victim Notification and Demand
for Rights form. You should
complete this form and send
it back to the State’s
Attorney’s Office in
the city or county where the
crime occurred as soon as possible.
When you file this form, the
State’s Attorney’s
Office is required by law to
notify you of all events related
to your case. You are also
eligible to receive notification
through the VINE system, an
automatic notification system. VINE
Fact Sheet
- Your Right to Be Present
at the Court Events Related
to Your Case
You have the right to attend
any court event that the Defendant
has a right to attend. When
you file the Crime Victim
Notification and Demand for
Rights form, you are notifying
the State’s Attorney’s
Office that you want to attend
all court events. Arrive early
on the day of the court event
and notify the State’s
Attorney that you are there.
If you are a witness to the
crime, you may need to testify
for the State. You may not
be able to sit in the courtroom
until after you testify. After
you testify, you have the right
to be present in the courtroom
unless the Court determines
otherwise.
- Your Rights to Be Heard
Before Sentencing is Imposed
You have the right to give
written and oral victim impact
statements to the Court before
sentencing. You may do this
by obtaining a form from the
prosecuting State’s Attorney
or by writing your own statement
detailing how the crime has
impacted you and your family.
As soon as you have completed
your victim impact statement,
send a copy to the State’s
Attorney’s Office, the
Clerk of the Circuit Court,
and the defense attorney.
- Your Right to Restitution
from Your Offender
You have the right to request
from your offender out-of-pocket
costs incurred as a direct
result of the crime. To request
this restitution, you should
file a Request for Restitution with
the State’s Attorney
prosecuting the case, the Clerk
of the Circuit Court Clerk,
and the defense attorney. Your
Request should detail all expenses
and should include receipts
and bills, if they are available.
You also have the right to
collect on a judgment of restitution.
- Your Right to Be Informed
of a Plea Agreement
You have the right to be
informed of the terms and conditions
of a plea agreement. Although
you have the right to be notified
of a plea agreement, you do
not have the right to decide
whether the plea is accepted
by the Court. Only the judge
has that right. You do, however,
have the right to express your
opinion about the plea agreement
through your victim impact
statement. If you do not agree
with the plea, you should tell
the Court and the State’s
Attorney.
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