§ 137.013 Appearance by victim at time of sentencing

If you're the victim of a crime, you have the right to show up at the sentencing hearing for the person who committed the crime against you. You can come in person, or you can have a lawyer speak for you instead.

At that hearing, you get to speak about what happened. You can talk about the crime itself, share your thoughts on the person who committed it, and explain how the crime has affected your life. You can also speak up about whether you think you should be paid back for any losses or costs the crime caused you.

If you're not able to attend or would rather not speak yourself, your next of kin (like a close family member) has these same rights if you've passed away or can't be there. The point of this rule is to make sure victims have a voice in the sentencing process, not just the prosecutor and defense attorney.