Restitution Hearings

What is a Restitution Hearing?

When someone pleads guilty or is found guilty of a crime where the victim lost money or had damage to their property, they are generally responsible to pay the victim money for the loss to the victim. For example, if someone pled guilty to vandalism for breaking someone's car windshield, the judge would order the person to pay for the victim's windshield to be replaced.

Usually, in California, the victim submits receipts to an agency within the court to determine the amount of restitution to be paid. Once the amount is determined, it can be challenged through a resitution hearing. The restitution hearing is similar to a trial and the victim is required to prove that the acts of the defendant caused the monetary damage that they are claiming in the form of restitution. Please contact us to learn more or if we can assist you.