What legal rights do crime victims have in Utah?

Victims of crime have rights that are protected by law! The Utah Legislature passed Utah’s first victims’ rights laws in the 1980s, and those laws have continued to change and develop since then. In 1994, Utah added a Victims’ Rights Amendment to its state Constitution.

Also, child victims have:

  • The right to have the process conducted in the most effective and least traumatic, intrusive, and intimidating manner

  • The right to have interviews related to criminal prosecution kept to a minimum and conducted in an age-appropriate way

Victims' rights in Utah include:

  • The right to privacy
  • The right to be heard at sentencing
  • The right to be informed and assisted
  • The right to a speedy resolution of their case
  • The right to be free from threats and intimidation
  • The right to restitution and reparations for their losses
  • The right to notice of all important criminal justice proceedings
  • The right to be present in the courtroom for all important hearings
  • The right to be treated with dignity, respect, courtesy, and sensitivity
  • The right to an explanation of the legal proceedings & plea negotiations

How does the Utah Crime Victims Legal Clinic help crime victims?

The Utah Crime Victims Legal Clinic (UCVLC) provides free legal representation to crime victims when their rights are at stake. The Legal Clinic is available to serve victims of all types of crime and has a statewide focus.*

UCVLC has three goals:

  1. To provide free legal services to crime victims in criminal district, justice, juvenile and appellate courts
  2. To recruit and train a roster of pro bono attorneys and law students to provide legal services to victims
  3. to provide education to criminal justice professionals on victim's rights

If you are a crime victim, the family member of a crime victim, or someone who would like to help crime victims, please contact the UCVLC.

*Note: The Legal Clinic uses a case screening process; priority will be given to the cases where victim's rights (as outlined above), are being denied or violated.