Victim Assistance ProgramAdditional related information regarding the Court Process in Tennessee and guidelines for Appearing as a Witness are included in the Criminal Prosecution section of this web site.
Victim/Witness Assistance Program
Victims of crime often encounter difficulties in the criminal justice system. This information is designed to help reduce those difficulties. It tries to answer some common questions and to tell you about services available from the District Attorney's office. It cannot take the place of direct communication, therefore, we encourage you to contact our office by phone, fax or email for any assistance you may require as a victim or witness in a criminal case.
- Assistance in understanding the way the criminal justice system works;
- Assistance during court proceedings;
- Referral to community agencies;
- Notification of parole hearings, release dates, or other information available concerning inmate status;
- Communication with employers about court appearances;
- Assistance for eligible victims in filing petitions with the criminal injuries compensation program;
- Assistance in obtaining restitution to victims of crime directly from the perpetrator of the crime when possible;
- Assistance to victims in becoming more involved in the processes which affect the perpetrator of the crime such as the plea negotiation process and the sentencing process including pre sentence reports and the sentencing hearing itself.
Victim/Witness Information
NOTIFICATION: If you are the victim of a crime you will be notified ahead of most hearings and told whether it is necessary for you to attend. If you are a witness you will only be notified of hearings you need to attend. You are always welcome to attend even if you are not needed. Since we can not control some last-minute changes,
Please call our office at (865) 457-5640 the afternoon before scheduled hearings -- we may not have been able to reach you in time to avoid your making an unnecessary trip to the courthouse.
We want you to be aware of what is going on, but with hundreds of cases to handle we are not always able to keep the personal contact with you that we would like. Please don't hesitate to contact us any time you have a question or want some information regarding your case. We will be happy to do whatever we can to inform you.