Victims Services

Contact

Valda L. Rotolo, VAS III, Chief
Phone: 410-996-5335

Links

Information and Instructions for Victims and Witnesses

VINE – Inmate Locator

Maryland Victims Services

Criminal Injuries Compensation Board

Domestic Violence/Rape Crisis Center – The Bridge Pamphlet

The staff and I at the State’s Attorney’s Office for Cecil County are deeply committed to the rights of victims of crime. All too often in our system of justice, the rights of victims are secondary to the rights of the accused.
The Office has a Victims Services Unit dedicated to helping you navigate the criminal justice system. If you have questions or concerns about a case, please call and ask to speak with a Victim/Witness Coordinator.

A Message from State’s Attorney James A. Dellmyer

The Victim/Witness Coordinator provides information about the court process, case status, and your rights. He or she also acts as a communication liaison between you and the prosecutor. It is very important that victims and witnesses keep the Office of the State’s Attorney informed of their current phone numbers and addresses. This allows us to contact you and provide updates about your case.

The prosecution of criminal cases is handled by Assistant State’s Attorneys who take into account the victim’s wishes, public safety, and other factors. Please keep in mind that all Assistant State’s Attorneys take an oath to uphold the laws and constitution and to handle criminal cases fairly and without prejudice. This oath includes a duty to fairly assess and evaluate the evidence and determine whether or not there is sufficient evidence to proceed to trial. Victim/Witness Coordinators are available to answer questions regarding this situation should it occur.

Court appearance

Victims and witnesses will receive subpoenas to appear for trial. Subpoenas are personally served by a deputy of the Cecil County Sheriff’s Office. When you are served a subpoena, you are legally obligated to appear in court. If you know ahead of time that you will not be available, please call and speak with a Victim/Witness Coordinator to discuss the matter. Failure to appear for court could result in the issuance of a body attachment for you.

If you have any safety concerns about appearing in court, please contact a Victim/Witness Coordinator to discuss the matter.

Additional information regarding your court appearance is available under Links.

postponements

Postponements can happen for various reasons. Some postponements occur ahead of scheduled court dates and some occur in court on the day of the hearing. If a postponement occurs in advance, we will attempt to contact you to let you know.

restitution

Once an individual has been convicted of a crime, the Court may order the defendant to pay restitution. Restitution reimburses victims in criminal cases for out-of-pocket expenses, medical bills, property loss, or damage suffered by the victim(s) as a result of the criminal conduct. Restitution does not include pain and suffering.

If you believe that you are owed restitution, you must inform the Office of the State’s Attorney prior to the completion of the case. Please provide the Victims/Witness Coordinator with copies of all receipts, medical bills, estimates, and insurance documentation related to the crime. The Court will require this documentation. When restitution is ordered, the payment(s) will be ordered payable through the Department of Parole and Probation (DPP) or the Office of the State’s Attorney. Any questions relating to restitution payments should be directed to the following:

Ordered through DPP, please contact Parole and Probation at 410-996-2870.
Ordered payable through the Office of the State’s Attorney, please contact the Victims Services Unit at 410-996-5335.

If your address or phone number has changed, it is your responsibility to contact the Office so our records can be updated. Please bring a valid ID when you arrive to collect the restitution.

A restitution order is not a guarantee that a defendant will pay restitution. If a defendant fails to pay restitution, the Office of the State’s Attorney will make an effort through enforcement procedures against the defendant. However, the Judge has discretion to employ alternative sentencing options.

victim impact statement

You may be asked to submit a victim impact statement in your case. In an impact statement, a victim provides a written or an oral explanation of the impact this crime has had on its victims. A statement may contain the physical, financial, psychological, and emotional impact of the crime as well as the harm done to family relationships, such as the loss of a parent or caregiver. Guidelines for writing a victim impact statement may be found under Links.

After a defendant pleads guilty or is found guilty of a crime, a Judge sentences the defendant during which time the Judge reads and considers victim impact statements before setting the sentence. A victim impact statement submitted to the Court becomes part of the criminal case file. As a result, everyone involved in the case will receive a copy, including the Judge, prosecutor, defendant, defense lawyer, and probation officer. There is no obligation to compose and submit a victim impact statement. The Victim/Witness Coordinator will be in contact with you should a statement be needed.