When a victim has expenses as a result of a crime, and the person responsible is caught and convicted, the court can order restitution. This means the perpetrator is responsible to pay back the money the victim has lost.  This might include the deductible on insurance, the cost to replace something that was stolen, or how much repairs to a damaged item cost.

In order to have restitution ordered, you need to give the state’s attorney victims advocate information about your losses or expenses you had as a result of the crime.  They will ask the judge to make an order for restitution, which then becomes a legal obligation that must be paid.  To help ensure that you get restitution if you are owed it, keep in touch with the victim advocate, provide receipts and information in a timely way, and make sure to read and answer mail from the state’s attorney’s office asking for your input.

One good thing about restitution is that as an individual person (as opposed to a business) the total amount of restitution owed to you will be paid in one lump sum up to $10,000.  The person who committed the crime will then pay back the state.  This restitution fund was started by a surcharge on speeding tickets.  If your losses were more than $10,000, the balance you are still owed will be repaid as the

If you did not receive restitution and the person who committed a crime that affected you has already been sentenced, check in with the state’s attorney victim advocate about it.  In some cases, it may be possible to have restitution ordered retroactively.