Defendant appealed, arguing that the statutory closure provision conflicted with the requirements established by the Supreme Court in Waller v. Georgia, 467 U.S.

Victims of crime often suffer immeasurable harm as a result of the criminal conduct inflicted on them.  The economic impact of such harm is rightly borne by the perpetrator, not the victim.   Restitution is one mechanism by which the justice system can ensure that the perpetrator, not the victim, bears the burden.  Restitution is ordered in criminal sentences and is money paid from the offender to the victim for losses that the victim suffered as a result of the offender’s crime.  Ordering and securing collection of restitution is an important part of ensuring that victims are treated fairl

Today in a case NCVLI has worked on side-by-side with the Air Force since January, the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces issued a significant case affirming the right of victims in the Air Force who are represented by an attorney to have that attorney present legal arguments to the court on their behalf. At its core this decision means that victims truly can have an independent voice in court martial proceedings when their privacy is at issue.

Imagine a child.  Imagine the child is abused.  Imagine that, against the odds, the child’s abuse comes to light and law enforcement gets involved.  One might imagine that the horror is now over and only healing remains.  But the truth is the child is now thrust into a complicated and foreign world of agencies, prosecutors, court dates, and new stresses.