partment of Justice’’ and inserting ‘‘a 
crime victims’ rights card listing the rights 
described in this subsection, contact infor-
mation for the Office of the Crime Victims’ 
Rights Ombudsman of the Department of 
Justice, and information about sources of 
legal assistance (including pro bono legal 
assistance) related to the exercise of these 
rights, including that the victim has the 
right to seek the advice of an attorney with 
respect to these rights’’; 
(B) in subsection (b)(1), by inserting after 
the first sentence the following: ‘‘The court 
shall also confirm that the Government has 
complied with its obligation to accord the rights 
described in subsection (a) and may issue any 
reasonable orders to cure noncompliance.’’; 
(C) in subsection (c)— 
(i) by amending paragraph (1) to read 
as follows: 
‘‘(1) GOVERNMENT.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Officers and employ-
ees of the Department of Justice and other de-
partments and agencies of the United States 
engaged in the detection, investigation, or pros-
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ecution of crimes shall make their best efforts 
to see that crime victims are notified of, and ac-
corded, the rights described in subsection (a). 
‘‘(B) REQUEST FOR DELAY.— 
‘‘(i) 
CIRCUMSTANCES.—If 
charges 
pertaining to the victim have not been pub-
licly filed, and the Government determines 
that according one or more of the rights 
described in subsection (a) would threaten 
the safety of an individual, interfere with 
an ongoing investigation or prosecution, 
compromise national security, or result in 
premature disclosure of material nonpublic 
information, the Government may request 
leave from the court to delay according the 
right for the limited period of time nec-
essary to avoid the harm or until charges 
are publicly filed, whichever comes first. 
‘‘(ii) COURT PROCEDURE.—The court 
shall review a submission made by the 
Government along with its request, the 
court may grant such request if it is sup-
ported by clear and convincing evidence. 
The Court shall maintain a record of the 
Government’s request and its ruling on the 
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matter, which shall be provided to the vic-
tim at the conclusion of the delay. 
‘‘(iii) DURATION.—An order by a 
court granting a request for a delay under 
this subparagraph shall be for a period 
that does not exceed 90 days, except that 
the Government may, for good cause, apply 
for an extension of the delay period. The 
granting of a delay under this subpara-
graph shall not constitute grounds for fail-
ing to ultimately accord a right to any vic-
tim. 
‘‘(C) COURT-ORDERED
REMEDIES.—If a 
court finds that the Government failed to com-
ply with subparagraph (A), it may order an ap-
propriate remedy under the circumstances, as 
set forth in subsection (d). 
‘‘(D) PRO BONO LEGAL REPRESENTATION 
FOR VICTIMS.—To the extent practicable, and 
consistent with applicable ethical standards and 
rules of professional conduct, the Government 
shall provide to the crime victim general infor-
mation on how to seek available pro bono legal 
representation for the purpose of asserting the 
rights under this section.’’; and 
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(ii) by amending paragraph (2) to 
read as follows: 
‘‘(2) ADVICE OF ATTORNEY.—Officers and em-
ployees of the Department of Justice and other de-
partments and agencies of the United States en-
gaged in the detection, investigation, or prosecution 
of the alleged crime shall inform the crime victim in 
writing that the crime victim can seek the advice of 
an attorney with respect to the rights described in 
subsection (a).’’. 
(D) in subsection (d)— 
(i) by amending paragraph (1) to read 
as follows: 
‘‘(1) RIGHTS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The crime victim or 
the crime victim’s lawful representative, and the 
attorney for the Government may assert the 
rights described in subsection (a). A person ac-
cused of the crime may not obtain any form of 
relief under this chapter. 
‘‘(B) REPRESENTATION
BY
VICTIM’S
AT-
TORNEY.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—An attorney may 
enter an appearance of behalf of a crime 
victim or crime victim’s lawful representa-
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tive in the district court in which a defend-
ant is being or has been prosecuted for a 
crime in the same manner as any other 
party to the proceedings, or if no prosecu-
tion is underway, in the district court for 
the district in which the crime occurred. 
‘‘(ii) REQUIREMENTS OF PARTIES.— 
Each party to the proceeding shall serve 
the attorney for the victim with a copy of 
each pleading that relates to the crime vic-
tim’s rights under subsection (a). 
‘‘(iii) REQUIREMENTS OF THE CLERK 
OF THE COURT.—The clerk of the court 
shall provide to the attorney a copy of any 
court order related to such rights and no-
tify the attorney of any hearing that may 
affect such rights. 
‘‘(iv) 
REQUIREMENTS
OF
THE 
COURT.—The court shall— 
‘‘(I) provide the crime victim’s 
attorney or lawful representative ac-
cess to all case records in the action; 
and 
‘‘(II) serve the crime victim’s at-
torney or lawful representative with 
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any filings that are directly relevant 
to or implicate the crime victim’s 
rights described in subsection (a).’’; 
(ii) in paragraph (2), by inserting 
after the period at the end the following: 
‘‘The procedure fashioned by the court 
under this paragraph shall have no effect 
on the duty of officers and employees of 
the Government to make their best efforts 
to accord crime victims the rights de-
scribed in subsection (a).’’; 
(iii) by amending paragraph (3) to 
read as follows: 
‘‘(3) MOTION FOR RELIEF AND WRIT OF MAN-
DAMUS.— 
‘‘(A) MOTION
FOR
RELIEF.—The rights 
described in subsection (a) shall be asserted in 
the district court in which a defendant is being 
prosecuted or has been prosecuted for the 
crime. If no prosecution is underway at the 
time of the motion for relief, the rights de-
scribed in subsection (a) shall be asserted in the 
district court in the district in which the crime 
is alleged to have occurred. The motion may be 
filed in an existing criminal case or, if no com-
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plaint, information, or indictment has been filed 
at that time, by a separate rights enforcement 
action. 
‘‘(B) REVIEW OF MOTION FOR RELIEF.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—The district court 
shall take up and decide any motion or 
separate rights enforcement action assert-
ing a victim’s right forthwith. 
‘‘(ii) ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION.—If 
the district court determines that addi-
tional information is relevant to the 
movant’s assertion of the right, the Gov-
ernment shall promptly provide all such 
additional information to the court and 
movant. The court may, for good cause, 
allow the Government to provide a sub-
stantive summary of such information in-
stead of providing the information itself. 
Upon the Government’s request, the court 
shall enter an appropriate protective order 
governing dissemination and use of any in-
formation or substantive summary pro-
vided under this clause. 
‘‘(iii) WRITTEN
OPINION
REQUIRED 
FOR DENIAL OF RELIEF.—If the district 
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court denies the relief sought by the mov-
ant, the court shall enter a written opinion, 
which clearly states the reasons for the de-
nial. 
‘‘(C) WRIT OF MANDAMUS.—If the court 
denies a motion described in subparagraph (A), 
the movant may petition the court of appeals 
for a writ of mandamus. The court of appeals 
may issue the writ on the order of a single 
judge pursuant to circuit rule or the Federal 
Rules of Appellate Procedure. The court of ap-
peals shall take up and decide such application 
forthwith within 72 hours after the petition has 
been filed, unless the litigants, with notice to 
the court, have agreed to a longer time period 
for consideration. In deciding such application, 
the court of appeals shall determine the merits 
of the application and, in making such deter-
mination, shall apply ordinary standards of ap-
pellate review to any procedural or substantive 
issues. If the court of appeals denies the relief 
sought, the reasons for the denial shall be clear-
ly stated on the record in a written order or 
opinion.’’; 
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(iv) by amending paragraph (5) to 
read as follows: 
‘‘(5) RE-OPENING PROCEEDINGS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—In no case shall a fail-
ure to afford a right under this chapter provide 
grounds for a new trial. 
‘‘(B) VICTIMS WHO RECEIVED TIMELY NO-
TICE.—A victim who received timely notice of 
the relevant proceedings may make a motion or 
file a separate enforcement action to reopen a 
plea or sentence only if— 
‘‘(i) the victim has asserted the right 
to be heard before or during the pro-
ceeding at issue and such right was denied; 
‘‘(ii) the victim petitions the court of 
appeals for a writ of mandamus in a timely 
manner; and 
‘‘(iii) in the case of a plea, the ac-
cused has not pleaded guilty to the highest 
offense charged, and in the case of a sen-
tencing, the accused has not been sen-
tenced to the statutory maximum. 
‘‘(C) VICTIMS
WHO
DID
NOT
RECEIVE 
TIMELY NOTICE.—A victim who did not receive 
timely notice of the relevant proceedings may 
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make a motion or file a separate enforcement 
action to reopen a plea or sentence, only if— 
‘‘(i) the victim makes such a motion 
or files such a separate enforcement action 
in a timely manner; and 
‘‘(ii) in the case of a plea, the accused 
has not pleaded guilty to the highest of-
fense charged, and in the case of a sen-
tencing, the accused has not been sen-
tenced to the statutory maximum.’’; 
(v) by redesignating paragraph (6) as 
paragraph (9); and 
(vi) by inserting after paragraph (5) 
the following: 
‘‘(6) MOTION TO ANNUL DEFERRED PROSECU-
TION
AND
NONPROSECUTION
AGREEMENTS.—A 
crime victim may make a motion requesting that the 
Government seek to annul a deferred prosecution 
agreement or nonprosecution agreement by filing a 
motion with the court in writing asserting that they 
were not accorded the reasonable right to confer in 
subsection (a)(5). Upon a finding by the court that 
the victim’s right under subsection (a)(5) was vio-
lated, the Court shall hold a hearing to evaluate 
whether the agreement should be annulled. 
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‘‘(7) REMEDIES.—Upon a finding that a vic-
tim’s rights under this section have been violated, 
the court shall order a just and appropriate remedy, 
which may include reopening a proceeding, to ad-
dress such violation, except that any such remedy 
may not violate a defendant’s constitutional rights 
and shall account for the interests of other victims 
and the public. An order under this paragraph, or 
under paragraph (5) or (6), shall not be construed 
to impair prosecutorial discretion under paragraph 
(9). 
‘‘(8) ATTORNEYS’ FEES.—A crime victim who 
prevails against the United States in an action to 
enforce a right under this section shall be entitled to 
an award of reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses, 
as provided in section 2412 of title 28.’’; 
(E) in subsection (e)— 
(i) by amending paragraph (1) to read 
as follows: 
‘‘(1) COURT OF APPEALS.—The term ‘court of 
appeals’ means— 
‘‘(A) the United States court of appeals 
for— 
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‘‘(i) the judicial district in which a 
district court has rendered a decision for 
which the victim seeks appellate review; 
‘‘(ii) if no such decision has been ren-
dered, the judicial district in which the de-
fendant is being prosecuted; or 
‘‘(iii) if there is no such prosecution, 
the judicial district in which the offense 
was alleged to have been committed; or 
‘‘(B) for a prosecution or offense com-
mitted in the District of Columbia, in the Supe-
rior Court of the District of Columbia, or the 
District of Columbia Court of Appeals.’’; 
(ii) by amending subparagraph (2)(A) 
to read as follows: 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘crime vic-
tim’ means a person directly and proximately 
harmed as a result of a suspected or alleged 
Federal or District of Columbia offense, or such 
an offense with respect to which an individual 
has been charged or convicted.’’; and 
(iii) by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(4) CRIME
VICTIM’S
LAWFUL
REPRESENTA-
TIVE.—The term ‘crime victim’s lawful representa-
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tive’ means an individual or entity designated or ap-
pointed to represent a crime victim or take their 
place in a court proceeding or other legal pro-
ceeding— 
‘‘(A) by the crime victim; 
‘‘(B) by the parent or legal guardian of the 
crime victim, in the case of a crime victim who 
is a minor, incapacitated, or deceased; or 
‘‘(C) by the court. 
‘‘(5) TIMELY.—The term ‘timely’ means suffi-
cient time for the victim to exercise their rights 
under this section, and in accordance with any appli-
cable rules of procedure. 
‘‘(6) SUSPECTED OR ALLEGED.—The term ‘sus-
pected or alleged’ means, with respect to an offense, 
that there is an investigation of an offense, but no 
charges have been filed.’’; 
(F) in subsection (f)— 
(i) by amending paragraph (2)(A) to 
read as follows: 
‘‘(A) designate an administrative authority 
in the Department of Justice (referred to in 
this subsection as the ‘Administrative Author-
ity’) under the independent supervision of the 
Inspector General of the Department of Justice 
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to receive and investigate complaints relating to 
the provision or violation of the rights of a 
crime victim;’’; 
(ii) by amending paragraph (2)(B) to 
read as follows: 
‘‘(B) require a course of training for em-
ployees and offices of the Department of Jus-
tice engaged in the detection, investigation, or 
prosecution of crimes that pertains to the treat-
ment of crime victims, incorporates trauma-in-
formed methods and practices, and otherwise 
assists such employees and offices in responding 
more effectively to the needs of crime victims;’’; 
and 
(iii) by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(3) ADJUDICATION OF COMPLAINTS.— 
‘‘(A) COMPLAINTS.—A crime victim or a 
crime victim’s lawful representative may submit 
to the Administrative Authority a complaint al-
leging that an attorney for the Government vio-
lated the rights of a crime victim under sub-
section (a), which complaint shall include the 
following: 
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‘‘(i) The full name, address, telephone 
number, and electronic mail address of the 
complainant. 
‘‘(ii) The name and title of the indi-
vidual who violated the rights of the crime 
victim. 
‘‘(iii) The right of the crime victim 
that was allegedly violated. 
‘‘(iv) The details of the allegation, in-
cluding the name of the court case and the 
jurisdiction in which the misconduct oc-
curred, if applicable. 
‘‘(v) Copies of any document that sup-
ports the complainant’s allegation. 
‘‘(vi) Any other information relevant 
to the complaint. 
‘‘(B) PERIOD TO SUBMIT COMPLAINTS.—A 
complaint under subparagraph (A) may be sub-
mitted beginning on the date of the violation 
and ending on the date that is 180 days after 
a final judgment is entered in the underlying 
criminal proceeding (including any appeal), ex-
cept that the Administrative Authority may ex-
tend such filing period for good cause. 
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‘‘(C) LOG OF COMPLAINTS.—The Adminis-
trative Authority shall maintain a log of each 
complaint submitted under subparagraph (A). 
‘‘(D) DECISIONS.— 
‘‘(i) IN
GENERAL.—The Administra-
tive Authority shall issue a decision with 
respect to the alleged violation within 180 
days of receiving a complaint under this 
section. 
‘‘(ii) FINES
AND
COSTS.—Upon a 
finding by the Administrative Authority 
that the rights of a crime victim were vio-
lated, the Administrative Authority shall 
have the discretion to impose fines or reim-
burse the victim for costs associated with 
the violation. 
‘‘(iii) 
FORM
AND
NOTICE.—Upon 
issuing a finding by the Administrative Au-
thority resolving a complaint under this 
section, the Administrative Authority shall 
provide the crime victim with a written 
copy of the decision, including any imposed 
sanctions or disciplinary measures, and ad-
vise the crime victim of their right to ap-
peal to the Inspector General of the De-
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partment of Justice under subparagraph 
(E). 
‘‘(E) APPEAL
TO
THE
INSPECTOR
GEN-
ERAL.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 10 
business days after the issuance of an 
order under subparagraph (D), the com-
plainant or the attorney for the Govern-
ment may appeal the order to the Inspec-
tor General of the Department of Justice. 
‘‘(ii) TIME
FOR
REVIEW.—Not later 
than 30 days after an appeal is filed under 
this subparagraph, the Inspector General 
shall review the order. 
‘‘(iii) NOTICE TO CONGRESS.—In the 
case that the Inspector General does not 
uphold the decision of the Administrative 
Authority, the Inspector General shall no-
tify Congress as soon as practicable, but in 
no case later than 10 business days after 
completing review. 
‘‘(iv) FAILURE
TO
REVIEW.—If the 
Inspector General fails to review an order 
pursuant to an appeal filed under this sub-
paragraph, the order shall be deemed to 
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have been upheld by the Inspector General 
on the date that is 45 days after the ap-
peal is filed.’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘§ 3772. General provisions 
‘‘(a) RULE MAKING.—The Attorney General shall 
issue such rules as may be necessary to carry out this 
chapter. 
‘‘(b) REPORTS TO CONGRESS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Attorney General, in 
consultation with the Inspector General of the De-
partment of Justice, shall submit a report to the ap-
propriate congressional committees on steps taken to 
improve the efforts of the Department of Justice in 
according crime victims their rights during the pe-
riod covered by the report. 
‘‘(2) REPORT CONTENTS.—The report shall in-
clude— 
‘‘(A) the number of complaints filed with 
the Administrative Authority designated under 
subsection (f); 
‘‘(B) the outcome of those complaints (in-
cluding any disciplinary action); 
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