Appendix 1: Victim’s Rights Laws By State

If a state has provided crime victims with rights under their state constitution, I have noted the section where the rights are specified below. To read what your state’s constitution says, do an online search for the state name along with the word “constitution” and the article number listed below.

Whether they provide constitutional protections or not, most states have enacted laws that detail the rights of crime victims. These laws are listed below too.

Laws and links change from time to time. Here we endeavor to have the most up to date legal information and working links.

Please notify us if a link is no longer working or if you become aware of a change of law before we know about it. By working together we can help all victims!

Alabama

• Constitutional Protection: Article I, Section 6.01
• Victim’s Rights Laws:
  • Ala. Code Section 15-23-60-84 (The Crime Victims’ Bill of Rights)
  • Ala. Code Section 15-14-53

Alaska

• Constitutional Protection: Article I, Section 24
• Victim’s Rights Laws:
  • Alaska Stat. Section 12.61.010-900
  • Alaska Stat. Section 12.55.011

Arizona

• Constitutional Protection: Article 2, Section 2.1
• Victim’s Rights Law: A.R.S 13-4401-4441

Arkansas

• Constitutional Protection: None
• Victim’s Rights Laws:
  • Ark. Code Ann. Section 16-90-1101-1115 (Rights of Victims of Crime)
  • Ark. Code Ann. Section 16-90-301-308 (Restitution to Victims)
  • Ark. Code Ann. Section 16-21-106 (Victim’s Right to be Noticed)
  • Ark Code Ann. Section 16-90-701-719 (Victims Rights)

California

• Constitutional Protection: California Constitution Article 1, Section 28
• Victim’s Rights Laws:
  • California Penal Code Section 679-680 (Rights of Victims)
  • California Penal Code 1102.6 (Right to be Present at Proceedings)

Colorado

• Constitutional Protection: Colorado Constitution Article II, Section 16a
• Victim’s Rights Laws:
  • C.R.S Section 24-4.1-108
  • C.R.S Section 24-4.1-301-304

Connecticut

• Constitutional Protection: Connecticut Constitution Article I, Section 8b
• Victim’s Rights Law: C.G.S Section 54-201-230

Delaware

• Constitutional Protection: None
• Victim’s Rights Law: Delaware Code Section 9401-9420

Florida

• Constitutional Protection: Florida Constitution Article I, Section 16(b)
• Victim’s Rights Law: F.S. Section 960.001

Georgia

• Constitutional Protection: Georgia Constitution Art. I, Section I, Paragraph XXX
• Victim’s Rights Law: O.C.G.A Section 17-17-1-16

Hawaii

• Constitutional Protection: None
• Victim’s Rights Law: Hawaii Revised Statutes Section 801D-1-7

Idaho

• Constitutional Protection: Idaho Constitution Article 1, Section 22
• Victim’s Rights Law: Idaho Code Section 19-5302-5306

Illinois

• Constitutional Protection: Illinois Constitution Article I, Section 8.1 (Marsy’s Law)
• Victim’s Rights Laws: ILCS Chapter 725, Act 120/1-9

Indiana

• Constitutional Protection: Indiana Constitution Article I, Section 13(b)
• Victim’s Rights Law: I.C Section 35-40-5-(1-11)

Iowa

• Constitutional Protection: None
• Victim’s Rights Law: I.C. Section 915.1-94

Kansas

• Constitutional Protection: Kansas Constitution Article XV, Section 15
• Victim’s Rights Law: K.S.A Section 74-7333-7338

Kentucky

• Constitutional Protection: None
• Victim’s Rights Law: K.R.S Section 421.500-576

Louisiana

• Constitutional Protection: Louisiana Constitution Article I, Section 25
• Victim’s Rights Law: L.R.S. 46 Section 1841

Maine

• Constitutional Protection: None
• Victim’s Rights Laws:
  • M.R.S 15 Section 6101
  • M.R.S 17 Section 1171-1177

Maryland

• Constitutional Protection: Maryland Constitution Article XLVII
• Victim’s Rights Laws:
  • MD Crim Pro Code Section 6-106
  • MD Crim Pro Code Section 7-105
  • MD Crim Pro Code Section 11-101

Massachusetts

• Constitutional Protection: None
• Victim’s Rights Law: M.G.L. c. 258B Section 1-13

Michigan

• Constitutional Protection: Michigan Constitution Article I, Section 24
• Victim’s Rights Law: M.R.S 780.751-834

Minnesota

• Constitutional Protection: None
• Victim’s Rights Law: Minn. Stat. Section 611A.01-06

Mississippi

• Constitutional Protection: Mississippi Constitution Article III, Section 26A
• Victim’s Rights Law: MS. Code Section 99-43-1-49

Missouri

• Constitutional Protection: Missouri Constitution Article I, Section 32
• Victim’s Rights Law: R.S.M.O Section 595-200-218

Montana

• Constitutional Protection: Montana Constitution Article II, Section 28
• Victim’s Rights Law: M.C.A Section 46-24-101-213

Nebraska

• Constitutional Protection: Nebraska Constitution Article I, Section 28
• Victim’s Rights Law: N.R.S Section 81-1843-1851

Nevada

• Constitutional Protection: Nevada Constitution Article I, Section 8A
• Victim’s Rights Laws:
  • N.R.S. 14 Section 176.015
  • N.R.S. 14 Section 176A.630

New Hampshire

• Constitutional Protection: None
• Victim’s Rights Laws:
  • N.H. Rev. Stat. Section 21-M:8-k
  • N.H. Rev. Stat. Section 21-M:8-c

New Jersey

• Constitutional Protection: New Jersey Constitution Article I, Section 22
• Victim’s Rights Laws: N.J.S.A Section 52:4B-34-44

New Mexico

• Constitutional Protection: New Mexico Constitution Article II, Section 24
• Victim’s Rights Law: N.M.S.A Section 31-26-1-16

New York

• Constitutional Protection: None
• Victim’s Rights Law: NY Exec L Section 640-649

North Carolina

• Constitutional Protection: North Carolina Constitution Article I, Section 37
• Victim’s Rights Law: NC Gen Stat Section 15A-824-841

North Dakota

• Constitutional Protection: North Dakota Constitution Article I, Section 25
• Victim’s Rights Laws:
  • N.D.C.C. Section 12.1-34-01-05
  • N.D.C.C. Section 12.1-35-01-06

Ohio

• Constitutional Protection: Ohio Constitution Article I, Section 10a
• Victim’s Rights Law: Ohio Rev. Code Section 2930.01-19

Oklahoma

• Constitutional Protection: Oklahoma Constitution Article II, Section 34
• Victim’s Rights Laws:
  • Okla. Stat. Section 142A-B
  • Okla. Stat Section 40.1-3

Oregon

• Constitutional Protection: Oregon Constitution Article I, Section 42–43
• Victim’s Rights Law: O.R.S Section 147.405-421

Pennsylvania

• Constitutional Protection: None
• Victim’s Rights Law: 18 Pa C.S. Section 11.101-502

Rhode Island

• Constitutional Protection: Rhode Island Constitution Article I, Section 23
• Victim’s Rights Law: RI Gen. Laws. Section 12-28-1-13

South Carolina

• Constitutional Protection: South Carolina Constitution Article I, Section 24
• Victim’s Rights Law: S.C. Code. Ann. Section 16-3-1505

South Dakota

• Constitutional Protection: South Dakota Constitution Article VI, Section 29
• Victim’s Rights Law: SDCL Section 23A-28C-1-9

Tennessee

• Constitutional Protection: Tennessee Constitution Article I, Section 35
• Victims Rights Law: Tenn. Code Ann. Section 40-38-101–302

Texas

• Constitutional Protection: Texas Constitution Article I, Section 30
• Victim’s Rights Law: Texas Code of Crim. Procedure Section 56.01-15

Utah

• Constitutional Protection: Utah Constitution Article I, Section 28
• Victim’s Rights Laws:
  • Utah Code of Criminal Procedure Section 77-38-1-14
  • Utah Code of Criminal Procedure Section 77-37-1-5

Vermont

• Constitutional Protection: None
• Victims Rights Law: 13 V.S.A. 5301-5322

Virginia

• Constitutional Protection: Virginia Constitution Article I, Section 8-A
• Victim’s Rights Laws:
  • Va. Code Ann. Section 16.1-302.1
  • Va. Code Ann. Section 19.2-11.01-11.4

Washington

• Constitutional Protection: Washington Constitution Article I, Section 35
• Victim’s Rights Law: R.C.W. Section 7.69.010-7.69B.050

Washington, D.C.

• Constitutional Protection: None (not a state, so no state constitution)
• Victim’s Rights Law: D.C. Code Section 23-1901-1911

West Virginia

• Constitutional Protection: None
• Victim’s Rights Laws:
  • W. Va. Code Section 61-11A-1-8
  • W. Va. Code Section 14-2A-1-29

Wisconsin

• Constitutional Protection: Wisconsin Constitution Article I, Section 9m
• Victim’s Right Law: Wis. Stat. Section 950.01-11

Wyoming

• Constitutional Protection: None
• Victim’s Rights Laws:
  • Wy. Stat. Section 7-21-101-103
  • Wy. Stat. Section 14-6-501-509

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