Amicus Support Victim Restitution – Brief Filed in Supreme Court

Today, the National Crime Victim Law Institute (NCVLI) moved for leave to file, as amicus curiae, this brief in support of the Marsh Law Firm’s recent Petition for a Writ of Certiorari concerning whether the Mandatory Restitution for Sexual Exploitation of Children Statute, 18 U.S.C. § 2259, excuses a defendant from paying restitution for the itemized loss categories unless there is proof that the victim’s losses were the proximate result of an individual defendant’s child pornography crime.

NCVLI is a nonprofit educational and advocacy organization located at Lewis & Clark Law School in Portland, Oregon. NCVLI’s mission is to promote balance and fairness in the criminal justice system through crime-victim centered legal advocacy, education, and resource sharing.

NCVLI actively participates as amicus curiae in cases involving victims’ rights nationwide. In particular, NCVLI seeks to highlight the difficulties that children who have been sexually exploited and filmed face in procuring restitution under federal law, and to explain the remedies that Congress crafted to help them over-come these hurdles.

The legal standard of causation required to secure such restitution is the question presented in this case.

The brief was written by Professor Stephanos Bibas who is Director of the University of Pennsylvania Law School Supreme Court Clinic.

NCVLI’s Motion for Leave to Participate as Amicus Curiae and Brief of Amicus Curiae

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