Filing with the Clerk of Court to Ensure Your Rights

To ensure they receive notices from the court, victims of violent felony crimes may obtain a "victim notice form" from the law enforcement officer investigating their case. The officer will forward the completed form along with the case reports to the District Attorney's office. We will then forward the form to the Clerk of Court when we formally file charges against the defendant.

If you have questions about others finding out your information, please discuss this with your victim assistance coordinator prior to filing a victim notification form.

The Clerk of Court Criminal Records Department is located on the 2nd floor of the Courthouse building at:

Clerk of Court Criminal Records Department

19th Judicial District Courthouse
300 North Boulevard, Suite 2501 (on the second floor)
Baton Rouge, LA 70801
Tel. (225) 389-3964

While the above rights are specifically enumerated for victims of violent felony crimes, the Office of the District Attorney will attempt to offer similar accommodations to all victims, when requested to do so by the victim.

Filing a Protective Order

Victims of abuse pertaining to family related situations are able to file for applications and petitions for protective orders on the 2nd floor of the 19th Judicial District Courthouse - at the Clerk of Court Domestic Violence Department.

Tel. (225) 389-4705
Hours: 7:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday

Victim Service Programs:

Our Victim Assistance Coordinators are here to help you. Please just ask. Some of the victim service programs are listed below:

BRAVE - Baton Rouge Area Violence Elimination

The Baton Rouge Area Violence Elimination project aims to eliminate violent juvenile crime in the area of the city in which the most crime of this kind occurs. The BRAVE administration involves strong collaboration between the mayor, the district attorney, the police chief, the sheriff, the school superintendent, faith based leaders and LSU.

The BRAVE project is based on the "Operation Ceasefire" model. The project hopes to change community norms, provide alternatives to gang and group violence participants and increase awareness among group or gang members that the risk of being arrested, convicted and heavily sanctioned has grown significantly. These goals will be accomplished through engagement and educational activities that will increase the social cohesion of the community and forge the development of an authentic community-police partnership, coordination of social service and educational partners who will help youth and implementation of a focused deterrence approach to community-based policing.

Through collaborating with local faith based organizations, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge law enforcement, the District Attorney's office and local service providers, we are making efforts to make Baton Rouge a safer place for everyone.

Baton Rouge Crime Strategies Unit

The mission of the Crime Strategies Unit is to harness collective resources in order to develop and implement intelligence-driven prosecution strategies that address crime issues and target priority offenders.

On September 1, 2015, U.S. Attorney Walt Green joined Chief Dabadie, District Attorney Hillar Moore, Sheriff Sid Gautreaux, Major General Steve Dabadie, and Ed Shihaden with LSU to unveil the new Baton Rouge Crime Strategies Unit. CSU will use crime data analysis and geo-coding to identify crime patterns and trends in targeted areas. Not only will the intelligence gathered be used in prosecutorial decisions., but the program will also meet regularly with ministers, homeowners associations, school officials, other community members, and patrol officers on the streets to identify patterns and problems.

This effort builds upon the foundation of East Baton Rouge Parish's ROPES program, Violent Crimes Unit, and BRAVE project to further reduce violent crime.

U.S. Attorney Green stated that working in violent crime isn't a traditional mission of federal prosecutors, but USAO-MDLA deems CSU a worthy project when it comes to reducing violent crime in Baton Rouge.

Qualifying Criminal Activities

* Includes any similar activity where the elements of the crime are substantially similar.

† Also includes attempt, conspiracy, or solicitation to commit any of the above and other related crimes.

U-Visas

The U nonimmigrant status (U visa) is for victims of certain crimes who have suffered mental or physical abuse and are willing to cooperate with law enforcement or government officials in the investigation or prosecution of criminal activity.

You may be eligible if:

• You are the victim of qualifying criminal activity.
• You have suffered substantial physical or mental abuse as a result of having been a victim of criminal activity.
• You have information about the criminal activity. If you are under the age of 16 or unable to provide information due to a disability, a parent, guardian, or next friend may possess the information about the crime on your behalf
• You were helpful, are helpful, or are likely to be helpful to law enforcement in the investigation or prosecution of the crime. If you are under the age of 16 or unable to provide information due to a disability, a parent, guardian, or next friend may assist law enforcement on your behalf.
• The crime occurred in the United States or violated U.S. laws.

Qualifying Criminal Activities

* Includes any similar activity where the elements of the crime are substantially similar.

† Also includes attempt, conspiracy, or solicitation to commit any of the above and other related crimes.

Frequent Questions

1. What if my car or home is the scene of a crime?
   If your property is the scene of a crime, it could take days to months before your property is turned over to you. In some cases where a crime is committed in your home, you may be inconvenienced for days or weeks until all evidence is collected from the scene. Once your property is returned to you, you may need to hire someone to clean up the crime scene, especially if there are bodily fluids left over from a crime. Some of your property may be collected by police and turned over to the prosecution as evidence. Property can be returned to its lawful owner when it is no longer needed as evidence in a criminal prosecution.
2. Do I need to hire an attorney for my case?
   As a victim of a violent crime, your case will be tried by the prosecutor in criminal court. You do not need to hire your own attorney; instead you will work with the prosecutor from the District Attorney’s office assigned to your case. You do not need to hire an attorney to prosecute your criminal case. You may hire an attorney if you have a civil case.
3. How long does it take the District Attorney’s Office to get the police file?
   It typically takes four to six weeks after an arrest is made for the investigating law enforcement agency to turn over the file to the District Attorney’s Office.
4. What is the difference between restitution and reparations?
   Restitution and reparations are available to victims of crime who are in need of financial assistance due to a crime that has occurred. Restitution refers to the actual cost of loss caused by the defendant. If you have suffered financial loss as a result of the crime, the court may order the defendant to repay you as part of the sentence. Crime victims reparations are funds available to innocent victims of violent crime who meet the criteria to receive funds for certain out-of-pocket expenses. Even though the victim may be an innocent victim in this incident, they cannot have been convicted of a felony or have been on probation or parole within the past five years. Qualified recipients must apply for crime victims reparations and must be approved by the Crime Victims Reparations Board before any financial assistance is provided.
5. What is the difference between the Louisiana Victim Notice and Registration Form and Louisiana Automated Victim Notification System (LAVNS)?
   An important right that you have as a victim of crime is the right to be notified of your case status and court proceedings. It is important for you to register for these notifications by completing the Louisiana Victim Notice and Registration Form and calling 1-866-LAVNS-4-U for the Louisiana Automated Victim Notification System. The Louisiana Notice and Registration Form has two purposes: (1) to inform you of your very important victim’s rights and (2) to allow you to sign-up for notification for all critical court proceedings. This form is filed with the court and is kept with your case file. The Louisiana Automated Victim Notification System (LAVNS) is a free, anonymous, automated system that is available to everyone and allows you to be notified if the defendant is released, transferred, or has escaped from a parish correctional facility, or has a change in case status. LAVNS offers information concerning defendant information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by calling the toll-free number or visiting www.vinelink.com. LAVNS is a service provided by the Office of the Governor and the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement and serves as an excellent back-up to the Louisiana Victim Notice and Registration Form.
6. Is it possible to receive a copy of the Coroner’s reports?
   The Coroner’s reports are often evidence of a crime and will be released by the Coroner to family members only after the criminal prosecution has concluded.
7. Why do defendants often plead “not guilty” during an arraignment even when they have already confessed to committing a crime?
   Defendants often plead “not guilty” at arraignments to allow their defense attorney time to develop their case. If the defendant was to plead “guilty as charged”, they could be giving up the right to trial, their right to face their accusers in court, and the right to present a defense.
8. How do I interact with the media?
   As the media follows your case, they can become pushy and intrusive to a point that makes you feel uncomfortable. Remember: You do not have to talk to any of them. If you decide to speak to the media the investigative officer and prosecutor should be consulted before making any comments, so as to not jeopardize the case. Consult them also if you intend to show a photograph. Some victims designate a specific support person to talk to the media on their behalf. You also have the option to prepare and release a written statement. When working reporters, you can ask to review the questions before the interview.

Understanding the Criminal Process

1. After an arrest is made by law enforcement agency for a crime, the arrest file is sent to the District Attorney office within 4-6 weeks.
2. Upon receipt of the file (generally within 4 weeks from the date of arrest) the District Attorney will assign the file to an individual prosecutor who will be responsible for the file until disposition.
3. The prosecutor will review the file and determine whether a crime has occurred and if sufficient evidence exists to proceed to trial.
4. Certain crimes, for example those punishable by death or life imprisonment, must be brought to the Grand Jury for charging by an “indictment”. This is closed to the public and kept confidential.
5. Most other crimes are charged by filing a “bill of information” with the Clerk of Court.
6. Once the indictment or bill of information has been done, an “Arraignment” date is set. At the arraignment the defendant is brought before the judge and advised of the formal charges and their rights. By law the defendant at this time is required to enter a plea of “Guilty” or “Not Guilty” or “Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity”. Most will plea “Not Guilty” at this time.
7. Following the arraignment, most Misdemeanor charges will be assigned a trial date. Misdemeanors usually involve a maximum sentence of 6 months in jail and $500 fine. The witness will be summoned for the trial date by a court ordered subpoena.
8. Most Felony cases will be assigned a motion date. Felony crimes can result in a sentence of imprisonment of 1 year or more. On the motion day, the defendant has the right for a preliminary hearing, where a judge must decide whether the state has met its burden of probable cause that a crime has been committed. The state’s witnesses are summoned for motions and for trial by a court ordered subpoena. Following the hearing of motions, the case will generally be assigned for trial.
9. Frequently, there may be a need for a status date for both Misdemeanor and Felony cases. The purpose is to “iron out” any outstanding issues before trial.
10. Trial day, consist of either trial by judge (for misdemeanors) or jury (for felonies). At this time, the judge or jury will decide whether the defendant is “Guilty” or “Not Guilty”. If the found “Guilty”, the judge will sentence the defendant within the sentencing ranges established by law. If defendant is found “Not Guilty” the defendant is freed from the criminal justice system and the case is closed.
11. At trial, the judge or jury determines the facts from the evidence by witnesses. Therefore, if you are a witness please keep the prosecutor informed of any change in home or work address.

Hospital Violence Intervention Program (HVIP)

The Hospital Violence Intervention Program (HVIP) is a community-focused, hospital based initiative designed to reduce recidivism of violent and domestic violence among young adults. This program is administered by the East Baton Rouge Victim/Witness Assistance Bureau under the auspices of the East Baton Rouge District Attorney's Office.

If you have a referral, please contact the Victim Assistance Line at (225) 389-8888.

This initiative focuses on patients who are victims of violent intentional injuries and domestic violence. The program is created as a hybrid of the Chatham County Hospital Violence Intervention Program, the Drexel University College of Medicine Healing Hurt People (HHP) Program, and the 'Caught in the Crossfire Program' in Oakland, CA. This Hospital Violence Intervention Program was designed to address the physical, emotional, and social needs that victims of violence face after being released from the Trauma and Emergency Departments.

HVIP Goals and Objectives:

1. To facilitate and optimize trauma-informed practice in the trauma and ER Department of Our Lady of the Lake
2. To reduce rates of injuries and rates of arrests of violent crime, including domestic abuse
3. To break the cycle of arrest and emergency room re-admission for victims of violent injury and domestic violence
4. To assess issues of rehabilitation and witness intimidation at the earliest opportunity
5. To ensure the location and participation of the victims of violence for court processes
6. To provide victims of domestic violence and other violent crimes with a safety plan, if they wish to participate, to ensure they leave the hospital and go to a safe place
7. To provide wrap-around social services immediately after the injury

* This program is supported by the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) sub grant , and awarded by the Louisiana Comission on Law Enforcement (LCLE) through the Office of Victims of Crime *

Additional Service

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Business Strategy

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