Don't panic!

Show up for the hearing. There could be consequences if you do not honor the subpoena.

If you have questions or concerns about the subpoena, call our office at
(740) 702-3190 to speak to an advocate.

A PSI is an investigation conducted by the Ross County Probation Department and then submitted to the Judge prior to sentencing. This includes information pertaining to the offender's record, recommendations for drug and/or alcohol treatment (in-patient vs. out-patient), victim impact statement, restitution information, etc.

A Community Based Correction Facility (CBCF) is a locked down facility for an offender to receive court-ordered treatment for various problems (drugs, alcohol, sex offenses, etc). These programs are based upon an offender's progress and could last up to 6 months.

This program is designed to help offenders that have a substance abuse problem. If accepted, the person will be under community control supervision and given a specialized treatment program that meets his/her needs. The goal of drug court is to help people make a permanent and positive change in their lives to prevent further criminal activity and court involvement. Not everyone is accepted and not everyone successfully completes the program. If the person successfully completes the program, then the case will no longer be on their record. For additional information visit the website of the Ross County Court of Common Pleas.

Investigations involve a lot of time and effort…and most of this process will be outside your control. An example would be locating and interviewing witnesses, awaiting lab results, awaiting medical tests and/or records, awaiting follow ups, etc. Patience and understanding is appreciated.

Cases are not considered public record or open until the offender is served with the indictment/warrant. Once the offender is served, a case number will be assigned and an advocate can keep you informed of the status of the case. Sometimes it takes a while to serve the warrant (wrong address, offender is unable to be located, etc).

A general idea is roughly 6 months to a year, depending upon the court's docket. This depends upon a lot of things as well: type of charge, if any motions are filed, continuances, etc. If the case is a death penalty case, then expect the case to take longer.

Contact an advocate and we can help you register.

Visit their website at www.vinelink.com and follow the prompts.

Call their toll-free number at 1 (800) 770-0192.

By registering with the Office of Victim Services with the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections.

We have the forms at our office.

You can also visit their website at www.drc.ohio.gov. Look under "offender information," then "offender search."

You can also call their toll-free number at 1 (888) 842-8464.

You will know by registering with the VINE program as mentioned above. You can also contact the Ross County Jail for verification at (740) 773-1187.

Yes; however, this is not automatic. You must let our program know either by contacting us or by returning the notification response form to our office. In the event that your contact information changes, it is your responsibility to keep the program informed so that an advocate can keep you up to date as best as possible.

No; however, if you do receive a subpoena to attend a hearing, please honor it.

Contact a victim advocate. If an advocate is unable to help, then an appointment or a telephone conference call can be coordinated with the prosecutor and/or assistant prosecutor assigned to the case.

This program is managed by the Ohio Attorney General's Office and it looks at reimbursing a victim for out-of-pocket expenses that a crime victim may have occurred as a result of a crime. The program will not reimburse for pain and suffering and money loss. Examples would be: funeral expenses, counseling expenses, lost wages, medical bills, prescriptions, etc. An advocate can provide assistance with filling out the form. You can also visit their website at www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov and look under the "victim" section. The Ross County Prosecutor's Victim & Witness Assistance Program does not make the decision on whose award is approved or not. That determination is solely the decision of the Ohio Attorney General's Office. For more detailed information about the application and qualifications, please contact an advocate or the Ohio Attorney General's Office.

Once the offender has pled guilty or has been found guilty at the end of trial, sentencing will be scheduled. At the time of sentencing, you can submit information to the court as to what your out-of-pocket expenses are for consideration to be reimbursed.

This is a statement prepared by the victim or a representative. The statement typically states how the crime has affected the victim. This statement is written for the purposes of the Judge to be impacted as to how to proceed with sentencing. This is also the victim's opportunity to voice their opinion as to what he/she feels should happen in the case.

This is considered evidence and should be submitted directly to the investigating officer.

You can request a copy of the report from the records division of the appropriate law enforcement agency; however, it is possible that the entire report may not be released until the entire case is resolved in court. You will likely receive the public records portion of the report. Once the case is over, the remaining part of the report that is available can be released upon request and approval.

Upon approval, yes. Typically, once a case is pending in court, we ask the assistant prosecutor assigned to the case if a motion can be filed to photograph the evidence. Sometimes the evidence is not returned until after the case is resolved or after the appeal process. It depends upon the type of property being returned and if it is going to be used in court or already has been used in court. If a motion is filed and approved by the court and defense attorney, then the Judge will sign the entry. This entry is provided to the law enforcement agency holding the property which authorizes the agency to photograph it and return it to the rightful owner. Sometimes verification of ownership may be necessary.

For the purposes for prosecuting the case, no. That is the elected prosecutor's job. However, if you want to file a civil suit or if there are other legal matters that need to be addressed outside the criminal case, then hiring a private attorney or having a consultation with a private attorney may be beneficial to address your additional concerns.

Dress comfortably and be yourself. Per the Court's guidelines, please do not wear the following to Court: clothing containing words, pictures and symbols that are obscene, profane, or sexually suggestive, anything associated with drugs, alcohol or gangs, halter tops, tank tops, see-through tops, bare-midriff tops, swim wear, lingerie, pajamas, pants that allow undergarments or bare skin to show such as: low cut hip-huggers and loose fitting pants that expose boxer shorts, flip flops or other overly casual items. Preferably no writing on shirts, no profanity, no holes, nothing low-cut, nothing tight-fitting, freshly-showered, and well-groomed, etc..

We are able to provide services free of charge because this agency receives funding from both VOCA (Victims of a Crime Act) and SVAA (State Victims Assistance Act) grants administered via the Ohio Attorney General's Office.

Contact an advocate with the Ross County Coalition Against Domestic Violence for a consultation at (740) 775-5396.

Contact an advocate to discuss at (740) 702-3190.

The Diversion Program allows first time offenders (for specific misdemeanor and felony offenses) the opportunity to apply to this program and be placed into a quasi-probationary period of a specific time tailored to the offender. An applicant must meet the statutory authorization under the Ohio Revised Code Section 2935.36. After successful completion of this timeframe, the indictment/charges are dismissed. As a result, the offender will not have a felony or misdemeanor conviction on his/her record. Failure to successfully complete the diversion program, will result in the case being reverted back to the appropriate court and prosecuted.

For more information, please contact the Ross County Probation Department at 740-775-0333.