In representing a crime victim, it is important for criminal defense attorneys to realize that there are two legal sides to such cases – the civil side and the criminal side. An understanding of both sides helps to maximize your protection and recovery. More importantly, the two sides do not operate in a vacuum, but in fact are tied together as demonstrated by the example below.
A colleague of mine recently represented an underage sex abuse victim. This victim’s father initially came to the attorney for help obtaining a stalking order against an older man that was taking advantage of his daughter. But in truth, there was much more to the case. After working together in the prosecutor’s office, the attorney collaborated with the district attorney to open a criminal case and found further evidence of abuse, including phone records and texts. There was also the discovery that the defendant’s employer knew or should have known about these abuses, yet did nothing to prevent them. As a result, that employer is now involved in the case as well.
This case demonstrates the many facets of representing crime victims – all of which needs attention by your criminal defense attorney. It also does no harm to have relationships with the prosecutor’s office as well to ultimately make sure the victim is protected and compensated for crimes committed against him or her. In light of the heightened use of technology by predators to stalk their victims in this digital age, constant vigilance and cooperation is especially important in sexual abuse cases across the country today.