THE OKLAHOMA BAR JOURNAL 14 | FEBRUARY 2026 Advocate for the appointment of victims’ rights counsel in violent felony cases, especially when plea deals or sentencing decisions are at stake; Push for court rules or statutes that clarify victims’ standing to file motions and seek judicial remedies; Partner with local bar associations to offer CLE programming on trauma-informed practice and victims’ rights enforcement; Encourage public defenders and prosecutors alike to adopt written policies on victim engagement; and Vote for and support district attorneys who prioritize robust victim participation. The question is no longer whether victims deserve these rights. The question is whether we, as legal professionals, are willing to stand behind them. Only then can we fulfill the promise of a truly balanced, equitable legal system. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Tulsa lawyer Rhiannon K. Thoreson is of counsel with Rosenstein, Fist & Ringold. Her practice focuses on education law and public entities. She is also a survivor of violent crime and writes on the intersection of law, lived experience and systemic reform. ENDNOTES 1. Douglas E. Beloof, “The Third Wave of Crime Victims’ Rights: Standing, Remedy, and Enforcement,” 2005 BYU L. Rev. 255, 258. 2. See Erin Daly and Jeremy Sarkin, Reconciliation in Divided Societies: Finding Common Ground, 142 (Univ. of Pa. Press 2007); and Mary P. Koss, “The Crime Victims’ Rights Movement: Past, Present and Future,” 39 Pepperdine L. Rev. 165, 166-70 (2011) (describing how feminist legal advocates catalyzed systemic change in how victims were treated). 3. 21 O.S. §142A-1 et seq. 4. See Okla. Const. art. II, §34 and 21 O.S. §142A-1 et seq. 5. 21 O.S. §142A-3. 6. 22 O.S. §60.2. 7. 21 O.S. §748.2. 8. “Ten Common Victims’ Rights,” available at https://bit.ly/3LzJgAw. 9. Okla. Const. art. II, §34(A)(10). 10. Significantly, there are no published cases in Oklahoma addressing victims’ rights. 11. U.S. Dept. of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime, Vision 21: Transforming Victim Services (2013), at 16-18. 12. Beloof, 2005 BYU L. Rev. at 263-64. 13. Mary Margaret Giannini, “Equal Rights for Equal Rites? Victim Allocution, Defendant Allocution, and the Crime Victims’ Rights Act,” 26 Yale L. & Pol’y Rev. 431, 457-59 (2008). 14. Deborah Tuerkheimer, “Judging Women,” 119 Mich. L. Rev. 1355, 1381-83 (2021). 15. Koss, 39 Pepp. L. Rev. at 168-70. 16. Okla. Const. art. II, §34(A)(10). 17. 18 U.S.C. §3771. 18. Okla. Const. art. II, §34(B). 19. 536 U.S. 273 (2002). 20. See Imbler v. Pachtman, 424 U.S. 409 (1976). 21. See Stump v. Sparkman, 435 U.S. 349 (1978). 22. See 18 U.S.C. §3771(d)(3). 23. Oregon Revised Statutes §147.500 et seq. 24. Oregon Const. art. I, §42. 25. Ariz. Const. art. II, §2.1. 26. See Arizona attorney general’s website, available at https://bit.ly/4aLFoGQ. 27. Ohio Rev. Code §2930.01 et seq. Statements or opinions expressed in the Oklahoma Bar Journal are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Oklahoma Bar Association, its officers, Board of Governors, Board of Editors or staff. The question is no longer whether victims deserve these rights. The question is whether we, as legal professionals, are willing to stand behind them.
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