(A) The prosecutor in a case, to the extent practicable, shall confer with the victim in the case before pretrial diversion is granted to the defendant or alleged juvenile offender in the case, before amending or dismissing an indictment, information, or complaint against that defendant or alleged juvenile offender, before agreeing to a negotiated plea for that defendant or alleged juvenile offender, before a trial of that defendant by judge or jury, or before the juvenile court conducts an adjudicatory hearing for that alleged juvenile offender. If the juvenile court disposes of a case prior to the prosecutor's involvement in the case, the court or a court employee shall notify the victim in the case that the alleged juvenile offender will be granted pretrial diversion, the complaint against that alleged juvenile offender will be amended or dismissed, or the court will conduct an adjudicatory hearing for that alleged juvenile offender. If the prosecutor fails to confer with the victim at any of those times, the court, if informed of the failure, shall note on the record the failure and the prosecutor's reasons for the failure. A prosecutor's failure to confer with a victim as required by this division and a court's failure to provide the notice as required by this division do not affect the validity of an agreement between the prosecutor and the defendant or alleged juvenile offender in the case, a pretrial diversion of the defendant or alleged juvenile offender, an amendment or dismissal of an indictment, information, or complaint filed against the defendant or alleged juvenile offender, a plea entered by the defendant or alleged juvenile defender, an admission entered by the defendant or alleged juvenile offender, or any other disposition in the case. A court shall not dismiss a criminal complaint, charge, information, or indictment or a delinquent child complaint solely at the request of the victim and over the objection of the prosecuting attorney, village solicitor, city director of law, or other chief legal officer responsible for the prosecution of the case.
(B) After a prosecution in a case has been commenced, the prosecutor or a designee of the prosecutor other than a court or court employee, to the extent practicable, promptly shall give the victim all of the following information, except that, if the juvenile court disposes of a case prior to the prosecutor's involvement in the case, the court or a court employee, to the extent practicable, promptly shall give the victim all of the following information:
(1) The name of the crime or specified delinquent act with which the defendant or alleged juvenile offender in the case has been charged and the name of the defendant or alleged juvenile offender;
(2) The file number of the case;
(3) A brief statement regarding the procedural steps in a criminal prosecution or delinquency proceeding involving a crime or specified delinquent act similar to the crime or specified delinquent act with which the defendant or alleged juvenile offender has been charged and the right of the victim to be present during all proceedings held throughout the prosecution of the case;
(4) A summary of the rights of a victim under this chapter;
(5) Procedures the victim or the prosecutor may follow if the victim becomes subject to threats or intimidation by the defendant, alleged juvenile offender, or any other person;
(6) The name and business telephone number of a person to contact for further information with respect to the case;
(7) The right of the victim to have a victim's representative exercise the victim's rights under this chapter in accordance with section 2930.02 of the Revised Code and the procedure by which a victim's representative may be designated;
(8) Notice that any notification under division (C) of this section, sections 2930.07 to 2930.15, division (A), (B), or (C) of section 2930.16, sections 2930.17 to 2930.19, and section 5139.56 of the Revised Code will be given to the victim only if the victim asks to receive the notification and that notice under division (E)(2) or (K) of section 2929.20, division (D) of section 2930.16, division (H) of section 2967.12, division (E)(1)(b) of section 2967.19, division (A)(3)(b) of section 2967.26, division (D)(1) of section 2967.28, or division (A)(2) of section 5149.101 of the Revised Code will be given unless the victim asks that the notification not be provided.
(C) Upon the request of the victim, the prosecutor or, if it is a delinquency proceeding and a prosecutor is not involved in the case, the court shall give the victim notice of the date, time, and place of any scheduled criminal or juvenile proceedings in the case and notice of any changes in those proceedings or in the schedule in the case.
(D) A victim who requests notice under division (C) of this section and who elects pursuant to division (B) of section 2930.03 of the Revised Code to receive any further notice from the prosecutor or, if it is a delinquency proceeding and a prosecutor is not involved in the case, the court under this chapter shall keep the prosecutor or the court informed of the victim's current address and telephone number until the case is dismissed or terminated, the defendant is acquitted or sentenced, the delinquent child complaint is dismissed, the defendant is adjudicated a delinquent child, or the appellate process is completed, whichever is the final disposition in the case.
(E) If a defendant is charged with the commission of a misdemeanor offense that is not identified in division (A)(2) of section 2930.01 of the Revised Code and if a police report or a complaint, indictment, or information that charges the commission of that offense and provides the basis for a criminal prosecution of that defendant identifies one or more individuals as individuals against whom that offense was committed, after a prosecution in the case has been commenced, the prosecutor or a designee of the prosecutor other than a court or court employee, to the extent practicable, promptly shall notify each of the individuals so identified in the report, complaint, indictment, or information that, if the defendant is convicted of or pleads guilty to the offense, the individual may make an oral or written statement to the court hearing the case regarding the sentence to be imposed upon the defendant and that the court must consider any statement so made that is relevant. Before imposing sentence in the case, the court shall permit the individuals so identified in the report, complaint, indictment, or information to make an oral or written statement. Division (A) of section 2930.14 of the Revised Code applies regarding any statement so made. The court shall consider a statement so made, in accordance with division (B) of that section and division (D) of section 2929.22 of the Revised Code.
Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.178, SB 160, §1, eff. 3/22/2013.
Effective Date: 01-01-2004 .