2025 Session Last amended: 2023 session

§ 611A.03 — Plea Agreements; Notification

Plain-Language Summary

Before a defendant enters a plea under a plea agreement, the prosecuting attorney must make a reasonable, good faith effort to tell the victim about the agreement. This includes the contents of the plea recommendation (such as the jail or prison time the defendant is recommended to serve), the victim's right to attend the plea and sentencing hearings and to object in person or in writing, and whether the offense is eligible for automatic expungement under section 609A.015. The prosecutor meets this duty by notifying the victim's legal guardian or guardian ad litem, or, if there are more than three victims, the three the prosecutor believes were harmed most.

Practical Notes
This section is about notifying victims before a plea deal is finalized, not about restitution. The prosecutor must inform the victim of the recommended sentence and the right to be present and object; if the victim has told the prosecutor of an objection but is not present, the prosecutor must convey that objection to the court.