Practical Legal Advocacy of Victims' Rights in Criminal Cases

This session will provide ideas for ways in which victims’ rights can be asserted and enforced in criminal cases, including: 1) formal appearance in the criminal case by the victims; 2) the protection of victims’ privacy rights, including balancing such rights against a criminal defendant’s rights to compulsory process and exculpatory evidence; 3) the prevention of contact and responses to intimidation efforts by the defendant and his/her agents; 4) having a voice in the dismissal of cases or counts; 5) meaningful participation in the disposition of the case, including the filing of sentencing memoranda and the presentation of restitution and other monetary claims; and 6) participation in post-conviction proceedings and supervision. This session is geared toward attorneys with basic knowledge of crime victims’ rights.

Erin K. Olson specializes in the representation of victims of sexual abuse and financial exploitation in both civil and criminal courts. She has litigated dozens of clergy sexual assault abuse cases against the Archdiocese of Portland and various religious orders, as well as child sexual abuse cases against individuals, private secular organizations, and governmental entities. A former prosecutor, Ms. Olson was raised in Madras, Oregon, and has a B.A. from Stanford University, an M.S. in Criminal Justice from Northeastern University, and a J.D. from the University of Connecticut.

This conference is supported by Grant No. 2008-DD-BX-K001 awarded by the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. Points of view in this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.