Court Assistance

In the context of criminal proceedings, two closely interrelated types of court assistance are offered:

Psycho-social court assistance

The aim is to make victims feel as a safe and comfortable as possible in criminal proceedings and provide support for coping with emotional distress to them - especially by

• providing information about police and court procedures, from filing the police report throughout to the end of the proceedings,
• personally accompanying victims to police and court appointments.

Frequently, in criminal proceedings, victims are scared of having to testify in the presence of the defendant. In such cases, victims are advised and given support in filing a motion for their testimony to be taken in a separate room.

Legal court assistance

Counselling and representation during the entire proceedings by a lawyer, with the aim of protecting the rights of victims in the proceedings and, for example, represent victims in court when claiming damages.

Persons

• who have been affected by violence in a premeditated crime (for example victims of physical injury, stalking or robbery)
• who have been affected by a serious threat (for example death threat),
• whose sexual integrity has been impaired (for example victims of rape or sexual abuse).

have a right to court assistance.

Under specific circumstances, persons who have lost a relative in a crime (for example murder or fatal traffic accident) may also have a right to court assistance. That is if court assistance is indispensable for asserting their rights in court proceedings. The victims‘ personal involvement is taken into account.