Victim Witness Unit

Dane County District Attorney's Office
Victim Witness Unit
215 S. Hamilton St. #3000,
Madison, WI 53703-3297
Phone: (608) 266-9003
Fax: (608) 261-9766
Amy Brown, Director
24/7 Crime Response Program Pager: (608) 376-0164
Email: DaneVW@da.wi.gov

The Wisconsin Constitution and Wisconsin Statutes Chapter 950 provide crime victims and witnesses with rights. The Dane County District Attorney's Office Victim Witness Unit assists victims by providing information and services consistent with these laws and in a manner that honors a victim's rights to dignity, respect, courtesy, sensitivity, and fairness while striving to be culturally sensitive and trauma-informed in delivery. Victim Witness Unit staff are available to crime victims throughout the criminal court process to provide information about court proceedings, as well as offer support, referrals and advocacy along the way. If you have been a victim of a crime please feel free to contact the Victim Witness Unit at 608-266-9003 to inquire as to your rights and services that may be available to you.

The rights listed below are an abbreviated list of your crime victim rights.

For a full list of your rights, please see Wisconsin Statutes Chapter 950 and the Wisconsin Constitution.

The Wisconsin Constitution provides crime victims with the following rights:

• To be treated with dignity, respect, courtesy, sensitivity, and fairness.
• To privacy*.
• To proceedings free from unreasonable delay.
• To timely disposition of the case, free from unreasonable delay.
• Upon request, to attend all proceedings involving the case.
• To reasonable protection from the accused throughout the criminal and juvenile justice process.
• Upon request, to reasonable and timely notification of proceedings.
• Upon request, to confer with the attorney for the government.
• Upon request, to be heard in any proceeding during which a right of the victim is implicated, including release, plea, sentencing, disposition, parole, revocation, expungement, or pardon.
• To have information pertaining to the economic, physical, and psychological effect upon the victim of the offense submitted to the authority with jurisdiction over the case and to have that information considered by that authority.
• Upon request, to timely notice of any release or escape of the accused or death of the accused if the accused is in custody or on supervision at the time of death.
• To refuse an interview, deposition, or other discovery request made by the accused or any person acting on behalf of the accused. To full restitution from any person who has been ordered to pay restitution to the victim and to be provided with assistance collecting restitution.
• To compensation as provided by law.
• Upon request, to reasonable and timely information about the status of the investigation and the outcome of the case.
• To timely notice about all rights under this section and all other rights, privileges, or protections of the victim provided by law, including how such rights, privileges, or protections are enforced.
• To ask a Circuit Court Judge or Court Commissioner to promptly review your case if you believe your victim rights have been violated. You may also file an appeal with the Court of Appeals and Supreme Court asking for a review of the Circuit Court Judge or Court Commissioner’s decision if you believe the decision does not protect your crime victim rights.

Additionally, the Wisconsin Statutes afford crime victims additional rights including but not limited:

• To attend court proceedings, subject to any sequestration order. The court may require victims to exercise this right by telephone or other available means, if the victim is incarcerated, under arrest, or committed to a treatment facility, and the victim does not have a representative.
• To be accompanied to court by a service representative, in certain cases.
• To have his/her interests considered when the court is deciding whether to grant a continuance of any hearing in the case.
• To be provided a waiting area in court.
• To be provided with appropriate intercession services to ensure that employers of victims will cooperate with the criminal justice process in order to minimize loss of income or benefits resulting from court appearances.
• To request an order for and to be given the results of testing to determine the presence of sexually transmitted disease or of any strain of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in certain cases.
• To have the presentence investigation writer, in cases in which a presentence investigation is ordered, make a reasonable attempt to contact the victim.
• To have any stolen or other personal property expeditiously returned by law enforcement agencies when no longer needed as evidence.
• To complain to the Department of Justice concerning the treatment of crime victims and to request review by the Crime Victim’s Rights Board of the complaint.

The Dane County District Attorney’s Office values your privacy rights and safety as a crime victim and will make every effort to treat your case with sensitivity. However, this should not be interpreted as absolute privacy and we think it’s important for you to be aware of these limitations. Therefore, please know if this case is charged, police reports, and other materials that relate to this incident will have to be shared with the defendant and their attorney per Wis. Stat. § 971.23. Additionally, criminal proceedings are open to the public and will include filings that contain information about this incident. Finally, as part of the investigatory and prosecution process, information concerning this incident may be shared with assisting outside agencies and trial experts. If you would like more information about these practices and/or have questions or concerns about your privacy or safety please contact the Victim Witness Unit at 608-266-9003 to discuss how we can best serve your interests.

Witness Information

• Witness Information (PDF, 58K)
• Información Para Testigos (PDF, 63K)

Crime Response Program

• Responding to Crime Related Trauma (PDF, 24K)
• Cómo responder a un trauma relacionado con un crimen (PDF, 25K)

The Criminal Court Process

• Criminal Court Process (PDF, 158K)
• El Proceso del Juzgado Criminal (PDF, 157K)

Domestic Violence Program

• Domestic Violence Program (PDF, 76K)
• El Programa Contra la Violencia Doméstica (PDF, 98K)

Children and Domestic Violence

• Children and Domestic Violence (PDF, 241K)
• Los Niños y la Violencia Doméstica (PDF, 26K)

Crime Victim Compensation Program

• General Information about the Crime Victim Compensation Program
• Información general sobre el Programa de Compensación a las Víctimas del Delito
• Crime Victim Compensation Program Application
• Solicitud para Beneficios – Compensación para las Víctimas del Delito

Tips for victims of crime: working with the media

• Tips for victims of crime: working with the media (PDF, 9K)
• Consejos para víctimas de crimen: contacto con la prensa (PDF, 10K)

Resources for Victims

• Resources for Victims: Resources for Victims (PDF, 178K)

U-Visa Certification

• DA Protocol for U-Visa Certification

Additional Information

Often victims and witnesses learn additional information important to the pending case. Please give this information immediately to the investigating police officers and prosecutor. The Victim Witness Unit can assist you in contacting the attorney assigned to your case.

Contact Information

Please notify the Victim Witness Unit of any change in your address or phone number.

Defense Attorneys

Victims and witnesses have the right to discuss cases with defense attorneys or investigators. Victims and witnesses have the right to ask that a police officer or prosecutor be present during the interview. Always ask for identification from any person who wants to discuss a pending case.

Juveniles

Police agencies, subject to their policies, may disclose to the victim the name and address of a juvenile offender and the juvenile's parents. (Parents may be liable for up to $5,000 for damages resulting from the acts of their child.) Juvenile contact information may also be obtained from the Victim Witness Unit. This information is confidential and cannot be disclosed to any other person.

Property

The police will notify a person when their property is no longer needed as evidence. If you have questions about property held by the police or need the property returned quickly, ask the Victim Witness Unit for assistance.

Threats and Intimidation

If you receive any threats or other forms of intimidation from your cooperation with law enforcement and prosecutors, call 911 immediately. Also report the incident to the Victim Witness Unit.

Victim Compensation

An innocent victim who suffers injury from a crime may apply to the State of Wisconsin for injury or death benefits up to $40,000. Injuries may include medical expenses, lost wages, loss of financial support, reasonable replacement costs of property being held as evidence, and funeral expenses. The address and phone number are listed under Important Numbers.

Subpoena

A subpoena is a court order directing a person to appear in court on a certain date and time. Failure to appear may result in an arrest warrant, fines, and jail. Report to the District Attorney's Office before court.

Cancellations

Court cancellations are listed on our website and updated daily as of 4:30 PM. Check our cancellation page after 4:30 PM the night before the hearing date to see if a case has been canceled.

Fees

The Victim Witness Unit will assist victims and witnesses in obtaining witness fees and travel costs for attending court hearings.

Parking

Public parking is available for a fee (meters) at the Dane County Ramp, 113 S. Henry Street, Madison

• Always tell the truth. If you do not remember or are unable to answer a question, make that clear.
• Listen carefully to the entire question before answering. If you do not understand, ask that the question be explained or clarified.
• Answer only the question that is asked. Do not volunteer information, ramble, or stray from the question that is asked.
• Beware of questions involving distances or time. If you estimate, make sure that you state that your answer is only an estimate.
• Speak clearly and loudly. The entire jury and the court reporter must be able to hear and understand you.
• Dress conservatively and be courteous. The jury will be judging your believability based on many things, including your appearance and behavior in court.
• Do not become upset with or verbally fight with the defense attorney. Remain calm and considerate and answer the defense attorney's questions truthfully.
• If asked if you have talked to anybody about this case, admit that you have. There is nothing improper about discussing the facts of the case with attorneys, police officers, or other investigators prior to trial.
• If you believe that you have information that the prosecutor may not be aware of, make certain that you inform the prosecutor immediately. If you recall a misstatement, point it out to the prosecutor so that it can be corrected.