California, United States of America
The following excerpt is from The People v. Lucena, C059767, C064415, No. 04F10845 (Cal. App. 2010):
As we will explain, the court did not err in refusing to allow the witnesses to testify; this is so because "a release by a victim cannot waive the People's right to have a defendant pay restitution ordered as part of his sentence." (People v. Bernal (2002) 101 Cal.App.4th 155, 160.)
The above passage should not be considered legal advice. Reliable answers to complex legal questions require comprehensive research memos. To learn more visit www.alexi.com.