NCVLI was conceived in 1997 by Professor Doug Beloof to be a national resource for crime victim lawyers and victims to support the assertion and enforcement of victims’ rights in criminal and civil processes. In 1998, United States Senators Jon Kyl, Dianne Feinstein, Ron Wyden and Gordon Smith supported the first appropriation of Congress to provide financial support for NCVLI. Since then NCVLI has achieved a number of successes:
| 1999
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The Victim Litigation Legal Clinic is established at Lewis & Clark Law School
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Professor Beloof’s legal casebook, Victims in Criminal Procedure, is published and wins an award for research and writing in victimology from the National Organization of Victim Assistance
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| 2001
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NCVLI convenes the first conference for crime victim lawyers; and the first colloquium for sexual assault coalition lawyers
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| 2003
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NCVLI incorporates as a private nonprofit with a Board of Directors, and achieves tax exempt status
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5-year cooperative agreement between NCVLI and the United States Department of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), is entered, launching the State & Federal Clinics and System Demonstration Project. Key elements of the Demonstration Project: solicitation and oversight of pro bono legal clinics, continuation of an annual Crime Victim Law & Litigation Conference, legal technical assistance to victim lawyers and advocates around the nation, the National Alliance of Victims’ Rights Lawyers (NAVRA), a bi-annual newsletter, NCVLI News, and NCVLI amicus curiae participation nationwide
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| 2004
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The pro bono legal clinics funded under the Demonstration Project launch
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The federal Crime Victims’ Rights Act (CVRA), 18 U.S.C. § 3771, is signed into law, providing the most comprehensive and enforceable victims’ rights in the federal criminal justice system. NCVLI worked with Senators Kyl and Feinstein in drafting the CVRA, and is named in its legislative history as the exemplary model of legal services to crime victims
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| 2005-2006
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3 additional pro bono clinics launch under the Demonstration Project, bringing the total number of clinics to 8
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Membership in NAVRA surpasses 300 and its national teleconference trainings begin
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Conference attendance breaks prior record
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NCVLI receives a new grant from OVC for the Victims’ Rights Enforcement Project (Enforcement Project). Elements of the Enforcement Project include: expansion of 3 of the legal clinics into federal courts to enforce the CVRA in the Fourth and Ninth Circuits, training and technical assistance to these clinics and other participants in the federal criminal justice system, and amicus curiae participation by NCVLI
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Professor Beloof receives the Attorney General Award for service to victims of crime
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| Present
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NCVLI continues to routinely files amicus curiae briefs in state and federal courts nationwide
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NCVLI continues to provide oversight and assistance to 7 legal clinics and will launch a new clinic in Spring 2008
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The Victim Litigation Clinic at Lewis & Clark Law School continues at full capacity, with law students providing legal research and writing on victims’ rights cases each semester
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NAVRA has nearly 400 members and will launch a members’ only website in 2008, providing access to hundreds of research memoranda, training materials, and legal briefs to aid lawyers and advocates
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The 7th Annual Crime Victim Law & Litigation Conference is scheduled for May 30-31, 2008 |
History of NCVLI
