Victim Rights

Victim's Bill of Rights

If you are a victim of any of the following crimes, you are guaranteed certain rights by the Constitution of the State of Colorado. The Colorado State Constitution also provides that a victim's designee, legal guardian or surviving family member may also exercise these rights.

  • Any Criminal Attempt; Any Conspiracy; Any Criminal Solicitation; Any Accessory to a Crime as Described Herein
  • Assault - 1st, 2nd, 3rd Degree; Vehicular Assault
  • Careless Driving
  • Child Abuse
  • Crimes Against at-Risk Adults and Juveniles
  • Criminally Negligent Homicide; Vehicular Homicide
  • Designated Crimes of Domestic Violence
  • Ethnic Intimidation
  • Failure to Stop at the Scene of an Accident
  • Incest; Aggravated Incest
  • Manslaughter
  • Menacing
  • Murder - 1st and 2nd Degree
  • Retaliation Against a Witness or Victim
  • Robbery; Aggravated Robbery; Aggravated Robbery of a Controlled Substance
  • Sexual Assault - 1st, 2nd, 3rd Degree; on a Child; on a Child by One in a Position of Trust; on a Client by a Psychotherapist
  • Sexual Exploitation of Children
  • Stalking
  • Tampering with a Victim or Witness

Court Proceeding Hearings

You have the right to be heard at any court proceeding which involves the following:

  • Bond reduction or modification
  • The acceptance of a negotiated plea agreement
  • The sentencing of any person accused or convicted of a crime against you, including the right to make a victim impact statement, in writing or by an oral statement of the harm that the accused has caused you or your family
  • The trial of the accused if called to testify by the District Attorney, defense or by the court
  • Any consideration of post-conviction release, i.e. parole application hearing, including the right to provide written input. In addition, you have the right to confer with the District Attorney prior to any disposition of the case or trial
  • To pursue a civil judgment

You also have the right to waive notification. If you sign and return a waiver, the District Attorney's Office will not notify you of every court event, but only those hearings in which your testimony is helpful.

Notification Rights

Upon your request, you have the right to be notified about:

  • Any change in status of the accused
  • The institution where the accused is incarcerated
  • The release date of the criminal, including furlough, work release, or community corrections in advance of release
  • Scheduled parole hearings for the person and any changes in hearing schedules
  • Any escape of the person from a correctional facility or program
  • Any release or discharge from confinement of the person and conditions or the release
  • The death of the person while in a correctional facility or program

Criminal Justice Process Critical Stages

You have the right to be heard informed of and present for all critical stages of the criminal justice process:

  • The swift investigation and filing of charges against a person accused of a crime
  • The preliminary hearing
  • Any bond reduction or modification hearing in which the request is made: For a bond lower than the scheduled or customary amount for the specific charge; For a change in the type or condition of a bond; For an alternative to bond; or, to appear without posting a bond
  • The arraignment of a person accused of a crime
  • Any hearing on motions concerning evidentiary matters or pre-plea or post-plea relief
  • Any disposition of the complaint or charges against the person accused
  • The trial
  • Any sentencing hearing
  • Any appellate review or appellate decision
  • Any subsequent modifications of the sentence
  • Any probation revocation hearing; The filing of any complaint, summons, or warrant by the probation department for failure to report to probation or because the location of a person convicted of a crime is unknown; The request for change of venue or transfer of probation supervision from one jurisdiction to another; The request of any release from probation supervision prior to the expiration of the original sentence
  • Any attack on a judgment or conviction
  • Any parole application hearing
  • The parole, release, or discharge from imprisonment of a person convicted of a crime
  • Any parole revocation hearing
  • The transfer to or placement of a person convicted of a crime in a non-secured facility
  • The transfer, release or escape of a person charged with or convicted of a crime from any state hospital

Defendants Release

If there has been an arrest in Pueblo County, and you would like to be informed when the suspect in your case is released from jail, you must ask that the jail inform you by registering at Colorado VINE or 1-888-263-8463

You must make sure the jail has your current address and phone number and is made aware of any changes. It is best to make this request as soon as possible, as it is difficult to determine how long a suspect will be held in jail before being released on bond. If the suspect has been arrested out of Pueblo County, you must contact the jail in the county of the arrest to get information about the suspect's release.

Arrest Information & Reports

A copy of your case report is available for a nominal charge by calling the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office, the Pueblo Police Department, or the Colorado State Patrol. If there has been an arrest in your case, you can get information about the crime, with which the defendant has been charged, bond information, the conditions under which the defendant can be released and the next court date by calling the District Attorney's Victim Assistance Unit at 719-583-6030.