Notification Responsibility by Agency
§ 15A-832. Responsibilities of the district attorney's office. a
(b) Upon receiving the information in subsection (a) of this section, the victim shall, on a form provided by the district attorney's office, indicate whether the victim wishes to receive notices of some, all, or none of the trial and post-trial proceedings involving the accused. If the victim elects to receive notices, the victim shall be responsible for notifying the district attorney's office or any other department or agency that has a responsibility under this Article of any changes in the victim's address and telephone number. The victim may alter the request for notification at any time by notifying the district attorney's office and completing the form provided by the district attorney's office.
(c) The district attorney's office shall notify a victim of the date, time, and place of all trial court proceedings of the type that the victim has elected to receive notice. All notices required to be given by the district attorney's office shall be given in a manner that is reasonably calculated to be received by the victim prior to the date of the court proceeding.
§ 15A-835. Post-trial responsibilities.
(a) Within 30 days after the final trial court proceeding in the case, the district attorney's office shall notify the victim, in writing, of:
(1) The final disposition of the case.
(2) The crimes of which the defendant was convicted.
(3) The defendant's right to appeal, if any.
(4) The telephone number of offices to contact in the event of nonpayment of restitution by the defendant.
(b) Upon a defendant's giving notice of appeal to the Court of Appeals or the Supreme Court, the district attorney's office shall forward to the Attorney General's office the defendant's name and the victim's name, address, and telephone number. Upon receipt of this information, and thereafter as the circumstances require, the Attorney General's office shall provide the victim with the following:
(1) A clear and concise explanation of how the appellate process works, including information about possible actions that may be taken by the appellate court.
(2) Notice of the date, time, and place of any appellate proceedings involving the defendant. Notice shall be given in a manner that is reasonably calculated to be received by the victim prior to the date of the proceedings.
(3) The final disposition of an appeal.
(c) If the defendant has been released on bail pending the outcome of the appeal, the agency that has custody of the defendant shall notify the investigating law enforcement agency as soon as practicable, and within 72 hours of receipt of the notification the investigating law enforcement agency shall notify the victim that the defendant has been released.
(d) If the defendant's conviction is overturned, and the district attorney's office decides to retry the case or the case is remanded to superior court for a new trial, the victim shall be entitled to the same rights under this Article as if the first trial did not take place.
(e) Repealed by Session Laws 2001-302, s. 1. (1998-212, s. 19.4(c); 2001-302, s. 1; 2001-433, s.6; 2001-487, s. 120.)
§ 15A-836. Responsibilities of agency with custody of defendant.
(a) When a form is included with the final judgment and commitment pursuant to G.S. 15A-832(g), or when the victim has otherwise filed a written request for notification with the custodial agency, the custodial agency shall notify the victim of:
(1) The projected date by which the defendant can be released from custody. The calculation of the release date shall be as exact as possible, including earned time and disciplinary credits if the sentence of imprisonment exceeds 90 days.
(2) An inmate's assignment to a minimum custody unit and the address of the unit. This notification shall include notice that the inmate's minimum custody status may lead to the inmate's participation in one or more community-based programs such as work release or supervised leaves in the community.
(3) The victim's right to submit any concerns to the agency with custody and the procedure for submitting such concerns.
(4) The defendant's escape from custody, within 72 hours, except that if a victim has notified the agency in writing that the defendant has issued a specific threat against the victim, the agency shall notify the victim as soon as possible and within 24 hours at the latest.
(5) The defendant's capture, within 24 hours.
(6) The date the defendant is scheduled to be released from the facility. Whenever practical, notice shall be given 60 days before release. In no event shall notice be given less than seven days before release.
(7) The defendant's death.
(b) Notifications required in this section shall be provided within 60 days of the date the custodial agency takes custody of the defendant or within 60 days of the event requiring notification, or as otherwise specified in subsection (a) of this section. (1998-212, s. 19.4(c); 2001-433, s. 7; 2001-487, s. 120.)
§ 15A-837. Responsibilities of Community Corrections.
(a) Community Corrections shall notify the victim of:
(1) The defendant's regular conditions of probation or post-release supervision, special or added conditions, supervision requirements, and any subsequent changes.
(2) The date and location of any hearing to determine whether the defendant's supervision should be revoked, continued, modified, or terminated.
(3) The final disposition of any hearing referred to in subdivision (2) of this subsection.
(4) Any restitution modification.
(5) The defendant's movement into or out of any intermediate sanction as defined in G.S. 15A-1340.11(6).
(6) The defendant's absconding supervision, within 72 hours.
(7) The capture of a defendant described in subdivision (6) of this subsection, within 72 hours.
(8) The date when the defendant is terminated or discharged.
(9) The defendant's death. (b) Notifications required in this section shall be provided within 30 days of the event requiring notification, or as otherwise specified in subsection (a) of this section. (1998-212, s. 19.4(c); 2001-433, s. 8; 2001-487, ss. 47(a), 120.)
§ 15A-838. Notice of commuted sentence or pardon.
The Governor's Clemency Office shall notify a victim when it is considering commuting the defendant's sentence or pardoning the defendant. The Governor's Clemency Office shall also give notice that the victim has the right to present a written statement to be considered by the Office before the defendant's sentence is commuted or the defendant is pardoned. The Governor's Clemency Office shall notify the victim of its decision. Notice shall be given in a manner that is reasonably calculated to allow for a timely response to the commutation or pardon decision. (1998-212, s. 19.4(c).)