A state law requires that crime victims receive expedited consideration when they assert their rights or challenge a trial court order allegedly denying their rights. The state law is one in a set of provisions commonly referred to as Marsy’s Law or the Ohio Crime Victims’ Bill of Rights. Crime victims can file their cases with an appellate court or the Supreme Court of Ohio.

The Supreme Court recently adopted new provisions in its Rules of Practice for the expedited process. The rules detail requirements for filings in victim’s rights cases, transmission of the record from the trial court, and service of documents. The rules also set deadlines for the two types of filings in victim’s rights cases – a petition for an extraordinary writ or an interlocutory appeal from an appellate court’s decision.

Deadlines are specified for filing initial petitions/notices, responses, and briefs with the Court. The Court will decide extraordinary writ petitions within 45 days and interlocutory appeals within 60 days, unless the parties have agreed to different deadlines with the Court’s approval.

The rules take effect May 1.