Ohio Victims' Rights - Marsy's Law

Your Rights as a Victim of Crime

As a victim of a crime, navigating the complexities of the criminal justice system can be challenging, and being a victim of such can also be traumatic.  As a victim in Ohio, you have rights, some of which are automatic; however, most of the rights require your request. The following rights are automatic; you do not need to request them.

- The right to be informed of your rights.

- The right to be treated with fairness and respect for your safety, dignity, and privacy.

- The right to reasonable protection from the accused or any person acting on behalf of the accused.

- The right to information about the status of the case.

- The right to refuse a defense interview, deposition, or other discovery request. 

- The right to object to defense requests for access to your confidential information, including medical, counseling, school, or employment records, access to your personal devices or online accounts, or other personal information. 

- The right to be present at all public proceedings. 

- The right to have a support person with you during proceedings. 

- The right to confer with the prosecutor at certain points in the case, including before pretrial diversion is granted, before the prosecutor amends or dismisses an indictment, information, or complaint, before the prosecutor agrees to a negotiated plea, and before a trial or adjudicatory hearing. 

- The right to tell the court your opinion in public proceedings involving release, plea, sentencing, disposition, parole, and any other hearing that involves victims’ rights. 

- The right to object to unreasonable delays. 

- The right to full and timely restitution from the offender. 

It is our duty to provide all of our victims of criminal offenses with the available resources to cope with and navigate these intricate and unfortunate cases. If you are a victim of a crime that has been reported to the Union Township Police Department, please review the below information and resources.  You may also complete and submit the Ohio Victims' Rights Form to obtain your additional rights as a victim.