VICTIMS' RIGHTS REPRESENTATION

Helping Survivors Navigate the Criminal Justice System

The criminal justice system can be intimidating, and that can keep victims of crime from engaging with it. But if you are a survivor of a sexual assault in Cook County, you have CAASE on your side. Our crime victims’ rights attorneys can assist you with free legal information, support, and representation. We can: 

  • Help you understand the steps in the criminal justice process—from reporting the crime through prosecution and potential outcomes
  • Provide legal representation during each phase
  • Assist with navigating the criminal investigation
  • Help you understand and assert your rights as a crime victim

CAASE cannot accept cases involving criminal defense, divorce, custody, property in common, or other family court issues, immigration, or cases that involve survivors who do not want to participate in a legal process, even if they are minors. If CAASE can’t assist you, we will try to connect you to another attorney and support resources.

Contact Us To Learn More

To learn more about our free legal services or schedule a consultation, please call our legal intake line at 773-244-2230, ext. 205 or email legal@caase.org. We’re available 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday – Friday. All personal information will be kept confidential. Please allow up to 72 hours for responses.

Our Legal Staff speaks Spanish and Portuguese. Translation services are also available in all languages.

What Are My Rights as a Crime Victim?

Victims of crime have many rights when they interact with the criminal justice system. This includes survivors of sex crimes. It is best to speak to an attorney, like those at CAASE, about these rights and how they may apply to your case. We may be able to help you assert these rights and take action if they are violated. 

The Rights of Crime Victims and Witnesses Act is an Illinois law that says victims have:         

  • The right to be treated with fairness; 
  • The right to respect for dignity and privacy;
  • The right to be free from harassment, intimidation, and abuse;
  • The right to notice and to a hearing before a court ruling on a request for access to any of the victim’s records, information, or communications that are privileged or confidential by law;
  • The right to be notified of court proceedings;
  • The right to protection from the accused;
  • The right to communicate with the prosecutor;
  • The right to be heard in court anytime one of the victim’s other rights are at issue;
  • The right to information, such as about a possible guilty plea, the outcome of a case, the sentence, or the offender being released;
  • The right to have their safety considered when a judge is making decisions about the offender’s release.

The above rights, and many others, can be found in 725 ILCS 120/4 and the Article I, Section 8.1 of the Illinois Constitution.

If you’re a survivor of a sexual assault in Cook County and you want help engaging with the criminal justice system, or you think one of your rights has been violated, please contact us at 773-244-2230, ext. 205 or email legal@caase.org to learn more or schedule a consultation. All our legal services are free.

 

What Other Legal Services Does CAASE Provide?

We understand that survivors seek healing and justice in a variety of ways. That’s why we provide individualized legal advice. While our attorneys assist survivors who choose to engage with the criminal justice system, we also represent survivors of sexual violence in civil litigation—including protective orders, employment and education matters, and other civil lawsuits. Learn more about our other legal services here.