What’s New on WomensLaw.org
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August 2022
We added three new organizations to our California Legal Assistance page in English and Spanish.
We updated contact information for 29 courthouses on our New Mexico Courthouse Locations page and added seven new courthouses in English and Spanish.
We updated the court forms links on our Tennessee Download Court Forms page (in Spanish and English) and in our Hawaii Download Court Forms page.
Based on June 2022 legislative updates that added risk protection orders as a reason for firearm prohibition, and put timeframes for convictions on certain misdemeanors, we revised three questions in our Connecticut State Gun Laws section in English. Spanish coming soon.
In our VAWA Self-petitions section, we added the language from the federal statute for the definition of battery or extreme cruelty to What type of abuse can qualify me for a self-petition? Changes made in English; Spanish coming soon.
We made the following updates to our Federal Gun Laws pages based on recent legislative changes:
- In What is the definition of a domestic violence misdemeanor? we added the new definition for family or household member: ”a person with whom you have a current or recent former dating relationship”
- In If the abuser has been convicted of a crime, can s/he legally keep or buy a gun? we added the exception to the law that says if the person was convicted of one domestic violence misdemeanor against a current or former dating partner, s/he gets his/her right to have a firearm back after five years under certain circumstances.
Changes made in English; Spanish coming soon.
We added the crimes of harassment, harassing communications, and dissemination of personally identifying information to our Kentucky Crimes page and to our Selected Kentucky Statutes page.
In our Wisconsin Restraining Orders section, we updated the costs for getting a certified copy of a protection order in Do I need anything special to get my restraining order enforced in another state? Changes made in English and Spanish.
In our New York Orders of Protection section, we added information from the NY Family Court Act about foreign orders being given full faith and credit to Do I have to register my protection order in New York in order to get it enforced? Changes made in English; Spanish coming soon.
in our Minnesota Orders for Protection page, we reviewed all of the questions to get the page ready for translation into Spanish. Here are a few of the changes we made along the way:
- Revised What is the legal definition of domestic abuse in Minnesota? by hyperlinking to the five criminal sexual conduct statutes instead of summarizing them for a more accurate explanation.
- Revised Step 3: Service of process to add the fact that a petitioner cannot be charged for service, to explain short-form notification, and to better explain the options for alternate service and publication.
We revised all of the questions in our Arkansas State Gun Laws page. The most significant revisions are as follows:
- Added the reasons why firearm possession is prohibited under state law to I am a victim of domestic violence and the abuser has a gun. Is that legal? and If the abuser has been convicted of a crime, can s/he keep or buy a gun? Previously, we only had information about when a person could be denied a license to carry a concealed weapon.
- Added information about denial of a concealed weapons license when a final order is in place to I have an order of protection against the abuser. Can s/he have a gun?
- Completely re-wrote I have a temporary (ex parte) order against the abuser. Can s/he have a gun? and What is the penalty if the abuser has a firearm in violation of the law? and I do not have a protection order against the abuser and s/he has not been convicted of a crime. Can s/he have a gun? to better explain Arkansas’s laws.
We also added a new statute related to firearm prohibition to our Selected Arkansas Statutes page.
July 2022
In our New Mexico Finding a Lawyer section, we updated contact information for 14 entries and added two new entries for New Mexico Legal Aid offices to our Legal Assistance page. We also updated two resources in our New Mexico Statewide Programs page. All updates made in Spanish and English.
On our South Dakota Lawyer Referral Services page, we updated the contact information, website, and description for the South Dakota Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service.
In our Alabama State Gun Laws question, we revised the question I have a protection from abuse (PFA) order against the abuser. Can s/he have a gun? to include the criminal law against gun possession when there is a protection order in place.
We added a new statute with definitions related to sexual assault to our Selected Wisconsin Statutes page.
In our Alaska State Gun Laws section, we revised three questions to clarify that a person cannot get a concealed handgun permit if s/he has a final protection order that meets federal requirements or if s/he was convicted of a domestic violence misdemeanor. Changes made in English; Spanish coming soon.
We updated contact information for Delaware Volunteer Legal Services on our Delaware Legal Assistance page.
We created a new question in our New Jersey Divorce section called What types of alimony are there and how long can alimony last? Spanish coming soon!
We created a new question in our Ohio Custody page called Can I change an order after it is issued? Spanish coming soon!
We translated in Spanish our Kansas Suing an Abuser for Money page.
In our New Jersey Custody page, we re-wrote the question Can an abusive parent get custody or visitation? in English and Spanish to better explain the factors the judge will consider.
We translated into Spanish our Tennessee Suing an Abuser page.
June 2022
We updated all 28 organizations listed on our New Mexico Local Programs page in English and Spanish and added one new organization: Center of Protective Environment, Inc.
In our North Carolina Custody section, we revised Can I get an emergency order for temporary custody? to clarify that the standard we listed for getting an emergency ex parte custody order only applies if it would change the living arrangements of a child or change custody. Changes made in English and Spanish.
We added two Rockland County organizations to our New York Legal Assistance page, Center for Safety & Change and Proyecto Faro, in English and Spanish.
In our Maryland Domestic Violence Restraining Orders page, we revised What are the legal definitions of domestic abuse, sexual assault, abuse of a child, and abuse of a vulnerable adult in Maryland? to clarify that victims of sexual assault or attempted sexual assault committed within the past six months can file for a protection order against anyone, regardless of their relationship. Changes made in English and Spanish.
We updated the Maine Download Court Forms page to list the specific forms that are available on the Maine Judicial Branch website.
In our Colorado Housing Law section, we revised Who is protected by these housing laws? What protections do these laws offer? to add the definitions for how the law defines victims of domestic violence, domestic abuse, unlawful sexual behavior, and stalking. Changes made in English and Spanish.
May 2022
In our Connecticut State Gun Laws section, we revised I am a victim of domestic violence and the abuser has a gun. Is that legal? and I have a temporary restraining order against the abuser. Can his/her gun be taken away? in order to add the following information that was inadvertently excluded from our website:
- It illegal to possess firearms if there is a final protection order issued against the person.
- A person can be denied a certificate to carry a revolver or pistol if s/he has an ex parte domestic violence relief from abuse order or an ex parte civil protection order due to sexual abuse, sexual assault, or stalking issued against them.
Changes made in English; Spanish coming soon.
We translated into Spanish the question Where can I find additional information about divorce in Washington? on our Divorce section in Washington.
Based on 2022 additions to the law, we did the following:
- Updated What types of alimony are available? in our Tennessee Divorce section to include: 1) the purpose of lump sum alimony; and 2) the fact that if the judge orders attorney’s fees for the divorce proceeding, the judge can include those fees in the lump sum alimony.
- Updated How will a judge make a decision about custody? in our Tennessee Custody section to reflect that a judge will consider whether a parent has failed to pay court-ordered child support for a period of three years or more as one factor when deciding custody.
We created a new Washington Housing Laws section with nine questions to explain the protections offered to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, unlawful harassment, and stalking. Spanish soon to come! We also added six related statutes to our Selected Washington Statutes page.
We added a statute related to small claims court to our Selected Maryland Statutes page.
Based on 2022 changes to the law, we updated I am a victim of domestic violence and the abuser has a gun. Is that legal? and If the abuser has been convicted of a crime, can s/he keep or buy a gun? in our Nevada State Gun Laws section to reflect the fact that the law no longer prohibits gun possession based on a conviction for a domestic violence misdemeanor. Instead, the law prohibits gun possession due to a conviction for crime of “battery which constitutes domestic violence.” Changes made in English and Spanish.
With help from the Giffords Law Center, we revised three questions in our Maine State Gun Laws section to clarify that:
- The prohibition against a respondent having a firearm when a final PFA is in place only refers to situations where the victim is 1) a current or former spouse; 2) someone s/he has a child in common with; or 3) someone who s/he currently lives with or used to live with. It does not cover other dating partners.
- Possession of a firearm is illegal based on convictions for certain crimes; previously, we indicated that conviction for those crimes meant that the offender could not get a firearm permit.
Changes were made in English and Spanish.
We added a statute related to small claims court to our Selected Pennsylvania Statutes page.
In our West Virginia Suing an Abuser for Money page, we changed the limit for small claims court actions to $10,000 from $5,000. (This change occurred in the law in 2016; we regret the error of not changing it before now.) We also added a related statute about small claims court to our Selected West Virginia Statutes page.
Based on 2022 additions to the law, in our Wisconsin Custody section, we added information to How do I change an existing order? about parents agreeing to allow a future modification based on a life event that is likely to take place within the next two years. Changes made in English and Spanish. We also added a statute related to small claims court to our Selected Wisconsin Statutes page.
We added a statute related to small claims court to our Selected Missouri Statutes page.
Based on changes that took effect April 2022, we renumbered 13 statutes on our Selected Kansas Statutes page and changed the citations in our Kansas Know the Laws pages accordingly.
We revised 17 questions in our Kansas Custody section, clarifying the text and adding small pieces of information. For example:
- In How can I get temporary custody? we added information about the requirement to file a proposed temporary parenting plan along with a temporary custody petition, and explained what can be included in the temporary parenting plan.
- In What is residency? we clarified the definition of divided residency and acknowledged that it would only be ordered in exceptional circumstances.
We translated into Spanish the recent revisions to our Wisconsin State Gun Laws page.
We translated into Spanish the updated information for the Children of the Night program on our California Statewide Programs page as well as the Teens and Trafficking/Sexual Exploitation pages in our Places That Help section.
April 2022
We updated our Indiana Download Court Forms page to link to the proper page on the Indiana Courts website where protection order forms can be found.
In Kansas, we translated into Spanish our recent changes to How do I register my protection order in Kansas? Do I have to do so? and Do I need to tell the court in Kansas if I move? in the Protection for Abuse Orders.
We added a statute related to custody to our Selected Kansas Statutes page.
We translated into Spanish our recently expanded question What do I keep in mind when going to court? in our At the Hearing page.
We added a statute related to sexual assault to our Selected Minnesota Statutes page.
In our Kentucky Custody and Divorce sections, we added updated links to the Kentucky Legal Aid Network for additional information. We also added a statute related to small claims court to our Selected Kentucky Statutes page.
We added two statutes related to small claims court to our Selected New Jersey Statutes page.
In our South Dakota Local Programs page, we added information about a new program called the Family Crisis Center.
In our South Carolina Local Programs page, we updated the contact information for five programs.
In our Utah Local Programs page, we updated the contact information for three programs in Midvale and Moab counties.
We added the county designation for all 26 entries in our Illinois Legal Assistance page in order to organize the listings by county for easier searching.
Based on a 12/2021 addition to the law, we updated two questions in our New Jersey State Gun Laws section to add the fact that a person cannot purchase a firearm if s/he is subject to a court order prohibiting the custody, control, ownership, purchase, possession, or receipt of a firearm or ammunition that was issued after being charged with or convicted of a crime directed at or committed against a judicial officer. Changes made in English and Spanish.
We added a statute related to small claims court to our Selected District of Columbia Statutes page.
We added a statute related to small claims court to our Selected New Hampshire Statutes page.
March 2022
We translated 17 questions into Spanish from our Tennessee Moving to Another State with a Tennessee Protection Order section and Enforcing an Out-of-State Order in Tennessee section.
We revised What should I do about my case if I test positive for COVID-19? in our Frequently Asked Questions Involving Courts and COVID-19 section in English. Spanish coming soon.
We translated 16 questions into Spanish from our Kansas Moving with a Kansas Protection from Abuse Order (PFA) section and Enforcing an Out-of-State Order in Kansas section.
We added a new question in English and Spanish called What is the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) Registry? Who has access to it? to our Wisconsin Restraining Orders section.
On our At the Hearing page we expanded the question What do I keep in mind when going to court? Change made in English, Spanish coming soon!
In our Arizona Divorce section, we created a new question called Where can I find additional information about divorce on WomensLaw.org? in English and Spanish. We also added a link to a flow chart of the divorce process to Where can I find additional information about divorce?
We updated all three listings on our Missouri Lawyer Referral Services page.
We updated our Litigation Abuse page in English and Spanish to include a link to Idaho’s vexatious litigation law.
In our VAWA Housing Protections page, we added information to How does VAWA protect the housing rights of victims? Do private landlords have to follow the law? to clarify that the law does not apply to private landlords unless they are accepting Section 8 vouchers. Changes made in English and Spanish.
We created a new question in our Idaho Custody and Divorce sections called “Is there anything I can do if my abusive partner continually files court cases against me?” We also added a related statute regarding vexatious litigation to our Selected Idaho Statutes page.
Based on 2022 changes to the law, we updated How do I register my restraining order in Oregon? in our Oregon Restraining Orders section to remove the requirement that the order given to the county sheriff must be the most recent order and to include the fact that someone acting on the petitioner’s behalf can register the foreign order in any circuit court in any county. Also, based on 9/2021 changes to the law, we updated What types of sexual abuse protective orders are there? How long do they last? to reflect the fact that a final order for a minor could last until January 1 after the petitioner turns 18, whereas it used to be until the petitioner turns 19. Updates made in English and Spanish.
We translated the Tennessee Court Forms and State vs. Federal Law pages into Spanish.
We revised the text and updated the links on our Louisiana Suing an Abuser for Money page. We also added a related statute about small claims court to our Selected Louisiana Statutes page.
We translated the new Louisiana resource, the Iris Domestic Violence Center, on our Local Programs and Legal Assistance pages.
Based on 2021 legislative changes, we amended I am a victim of domestic violence and the abuser has a gun. Is this legal? and If the abuser has been convicted of a crime, can s/he keep or buy a gun? in our Kansas State Gun Laws section to add convictions for “non-person felonies” as a reason that would make gun possession illegal. We also added the new timeframes after felony sentencing during which gun possession is illegal. In addition, we added a statute related to small claims court to our Selected Kansas Statutes page.
Based on 2022 changes to the laws, we updated 8 questions in our Illinois Workplace Protections page in English (Spanish coming soon). Below we list the main legislative amendments along with the related revisions we made:
- Updated What are the legal definitions of domestic, sexual, and gender violence, as well as a “crime of violence”? to include the definition for a “crime of violence” since victims of those crimes are now also eligible for protections in the workplace;
- Updated Who is considered to be a “family or household member” under the law? based on the expanded definition of “household of family member,” which now includes a party to a civil union; grandparent; grandchild; sibling; other person related by civil union; and any other individual whose close association with the employee is the equivalent of a family relationship as determined by the employee.
- Revised How much advance notice do I need to give my employer to take time off from work? And what proof do I need to provide? to explain that a sworn statement is enough proof. Any sort of documentary proof of the violence only has to be provided if the victim happens to have it.
- Added the fact that any requests for accommodations must be kept confidential to Can I ask for “accommodations” at work to keep me safe from domestic, sexual, or gender violence, or a “crime of violence”?
In our Illinois Divorce section, we created a new question called If I don’t have money to hire a lawyer, can the judge order my spouse to pay my attorney’s fees? We also added information to Can I get alimony? What factors will a judge consider? about how a judge will decide whether to issue temporary maintenance. All changes made in English; Spanish coming soon.
We revised What are the residency requirements to get a divorce in Guam? in our Guam Divorce section to clarify that in the case of a petition based on residency for seven days, the seven days must be immediately before filing the petition.
In our Tennessee Divorce section, we rewrote What are the residency requirements for divorce in Tennessee? to better explain the residency requirements and to clarify that the standard for military members to establish residency also applies to their spouses as well. In our Tennessee Custody section, we revised If a parent with custody rights has moved away due to military deployment, can the custody order be modified? to clarify that there are two ways that an order can be modified, by agreement of the parents or by an order issued by the judge.
Based on 2022 changes to the law, we updated three questions in our Illinois State Gun Laws page to reflect that fact that suspension of a Firearm Owner’s Identification Card is now also an option, in addition to revocation and denial. In addition, the law expanded an exception for mental health-related firearm prohibition. The exception now also applies to Department of Corrections employees who are authorized to carry a firearm whereas it used to only apply to active law enforcement officers. Changes made in English and Spanish.
In our Hawaii Suing an Abuser for Money page, we added the fact that or if you are filing against a landlord for the return of a residential security deposit, there is no monetary limit. We also added two related statutes to our Selected Hawaii Statutes page. In addition, based on 2022 legislative changes, we revised What are the residency requirements to file for divorce in Hawaii? in our Hawaii Divorce page to remove the requirement that litigants must live in Hawaii for six months before getting a final divorce decree.
We updated the information for Family Crisis Centers of Northwest Iowa on our Iowa Local Programs page.
We added information in English and Spanish about a new program called the Beacon of Hope Crisis Center to our Indiana Local Programs page.
We translated into Spanish our New Jersey Child Support and Custody sections.
We updated the contact information for two programs on our Abuse Victims Charged with Crimes page.
We translated into Spanish our Texas housing law questions What steps do I have to take to end (terminate) my lease early? and Who is protected by this housing law? What protections does this law offer?
We translated into Spanish the edits to our Oklahoma custody questions Can an abusive parent get visitation or custody? What if s/he is a sex offender or an addict? and If my child was conceived from rape, can the offender’s rights be terminated?
In our Colorado Custody section, in English and Spanish, we revised If my child was conceived due to a sexual assault, can the offender get parenting responsibilities? to include a scenario where the offender was not convicted of the sexual assault that resulted in the conception of the child. Also, based on 2022 legislative updates, we added the following information in English and Spanish to What is the penalty for violating state or federal firearm laws? in our Colorado State Gun Laws page and What can I do if the abuser violates the protection order? in our Colorado Restraining Orders page:
- We reduced the maximum sentence and fines for class 1 and class 2 misdemeanors;
- We added the fact that if respondent violates a preotection order that was issued due to stalking or between parties in an intimate relationship, it is a class 1 misdemeanor.
We translated into Spanish the Utah questions Can a sexual violence protective order be extended? and Can a dating violence protective order be extended?
We translated the Utah Court Forms page into Spanish.
We translated into Spanish the newly edited and added questions in the New Mexico Custody and Child Support sections.
We translated into Spanish our Tennessee Protection Orders for Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking page.
In our Georgia Family Violence Protective Orders page, we revised What types of family violence protective order are available? How long do they last? to clarify that a petitioner could file a motion to ask the judge to extend the temporary order to 3 years or to make it permanent. Changes made in English and Spanish.
Based on 10/2021 changes to the law, we did the following:
- In our Colorado Domestic Violence Protection Orders page:
- Updated What protections can I get in a domestic violence protection order? to explain that in order for the judge to order removal of the respondent’s firearms, the judge must now determine, after reviewing the petition, that an act of domestic violence took place and it involved physical force or the threat or attempt to use physical force.
- In our Colorado State Gun Laws page:
- Added the same information mentioned above to three questions
- Updated How does an abuser give up his/her guns and ammunition? What happens next? to add the following:
- The judge must schedule a compliance hearing to make sure that the abuser did, in fact, give up the firearms and can issue a search warrant for the firearms if the judge believes the abuser still has firearms; and
- The time the abuser has to turn in the firearms does not include legal holidays and weekends.
Changes made in English and Spanish.
We translated into Spanish our Tennessee Orders of Protection for Elderly or Vulnerable Adults section.
We translated into Spanish our Tennessee Workplace Restraining Orders section.
Based on a 10/2021 update to the law, which states that cyberstalking can come from communication that is direct or indirect and that the communication can pertain to a person instead of being directed at a person, we revised What is the legal definition of stalking in Florida? in our Florida Injunctions for Protection Against Stalking/Cyberstalking page. Changes made in English and Spanish.
We created a new Safety in School page in our Safety Tips section in English (Spanish soon to come).
In our Georgia Crimes page, we added the crimes of simple assault, simple battery, criminal trespass, and criminal damage to property in the first and second degrees in English and Spanish. We also added two related statutes to our Selected Georgia Statutes page in English. In addition, in What is the legal definition in Georgia of family violence? in our Georgia Restraining Orders section, we hyperlinked all of the criminal grounds to their statutory definitions to make it easier to understand (in English and Spanish).
We translated into Spanish our recently created Arkansas Child Support section.
We updated the resources on our Texas Lawyer Referral Service page, fixing four outdated website links and confirming that the rest of the information is current.
February 2022
We updated our Iowa Download Court Forms page to clarify which petitions can be found on the Iowa Judicial Branch website.
In our Preparing for Court - By Yourself section, we revised How do I know if I can appeal my case? to more thoroughly explain the concept of preserving the record for appeal. Changes made in English and Spanish.
We updated Can I “violate” my own order? in our Iowa Protective Orders section to include the fact minors could be at risk of arrest for violating an order issued on their behalf.
Based on 7/2021 changes to the law, we updated Can a parent who committed violence get custody (parental responsibility) or visitation (time-sharing)? in our Florida Custody page to add that there is a rebuttable presumption against giving custody or visitation to a parent who has been convicted of, or had adjudication withheld for, various crimes related to sexual misconduct or kidnapping of a victim who was under 18 or who appeared to be under 18. Changes made in Spanish and English. We also added two custody-related statutes to our Selected Florida Statutes page.
Based on 2022 changes to the law, we did the following in English and Spanish:
- Revised Can a parent who committed violence get custody? in our California Custody section to add the fact that when an abusive parent is asking or custody, the judge will consider if they have a domestic violence restraining order issued against them but they are still in possession or control of a firearm or ammunition in violation of the law.
- In our California DVRO section:
- Added “reproductive coercion” as a reason to qualify for a DVRO in What is the legal definition of domestic violence in California?
- Revised How much does it cost? Do I need a lawyer? to add that there is no fee for any filing related to the petition, not just that there’s no fee for the petition itself.
- Revised What protections can I get in a DVRO? to include the fact that the judge will give the petitioner information about how any firearms or ammunition are in the abuser’s possession and how those should be turned into law enforcement.
- Revised five questions to include the fact that petitions and ex parte orders can be submitted electronically and that petitioners can appear at the final hearing remotely. We also added two new related statutes to our Selected California Statutes page.
- In our California State Gun Laws section, edited 5 questions to add the fact that whenever firearm possession is prohibited, ammunition possession is also prohibited; and edited If the abuser’s gun is taken away, what will happen to it? to explain that after the respondent on a DVRO has to turn in their firearms, the judge will hold a hearing to confirm that this was done.
Based on 6/2021 changes to the law, we revised four questions in our North Carolina Restraining Orders section to delete the option for ex parte hearings to be held via video conference. Based on 8/2021 changes to the law, we revised What are the reasons I can get an annulment? in our North Carolina Divorce section to remove the exception that disallowed an annulment between minors if one minor was a female and she was pregnant or a child was born to the parties.
Based on changes to the law that took effect 7/2021, we made the following changes:
- Added information about there being a rebuttable presumption for joint custody to What is joint custody? Is joint custody favored in Arkansas? in our Arkansas Custody page.
- Changed the reference to a “non-custodial parent” to the “parent who pays child support” in How will the judge calculate child support? in our Arkansas Child Support section.
We also completely re-wrote Can a parent who committed domestic violence get custody or visitation? and Can a parent who is a registered sex offender, or who lives with one, get custody or visitation? in our Arkansas Custody section. Lastly, we re-wrote Where can I find additional information about divorce in Arkansas? in our Arkansas Divorce section. All changes made in English; Spanish soon to come.
We translated into Spanish the following Wisconsin pages: Crimes, Housing Laws and Suing an Abuser for Damages.
On our Alabama Download Court Forms page, we added links to the forms to file a divorce complaint, to answer a divorce complaint, to file for child custody, and to request to change a custody or visitation order. We also added the link to request a custody change to If a custody order is already in place, how can I get it changed? in our Alabama Custody section and the links for a divorce complaint and answer to Where can I find more information about divorce in Alabama? in our Alabama Divorce section. We also added a statute regarding small claims court to our Selected Alabama Statutes page.
We translated into Spanish our Connecticut Restraining Orders page called Civil Protection Orders (for Sexual Abuse, Sexual Assault, or Stalking).
We added the question “What can I do if the other party files multiple pleadings or motions against me as a way to harass me?” to our Connecticut Divorce page and Restraining Orders page in English and Spanish.
We translated into Spanish our question What steps do I need to take during the trial to set myself up for possibly being able to appeal if I lose? in our At the Hearing section. We also translated appeals-related information to What do I keep in mind when going to court? and Why would I want to object to evidence?
We translated into Spanish our expanded File an Appeal and Motions for Reconsideration sections.
In our Wisconsin State Gun Laws section, we revised I have a restraining order against the abuser. Can s/he keep a gun or buy a new gun? to add that if a judge grants a final domestic abuse injunction, the judge must order the abuser to hand over any firearms in his/her possession to the authorities and forbid him/her from buying firearms, unless the abuser is a peace officer and is required to possess a gun as a condition of his/her job.
We translated into Spanish our recently created Georgia Workplace Restraining Orders page.
In our Ohio SSOOPO section, we revised Who can get a stalking or sexually oriented offense protection order? Where is the petition filed? and Can I get a protection order if I’m a minor? What if the abuser is a minor? to make it clear that a minor cannot file for an SSOOPO against another minor but they can file for a JCPO, which offers similar protections. Changes made in English and Spanish. We also added a related statute to our Selected Ohio Statutes page in English.
We added a new resource, the Iris Domestic Violence Center, to our Louisiana Local Programs page and Louisiana Legal Assistance page. Spanish translation soon to come.
We translated into Spanish the new D.C. Anti-Stalking Orders section.
In response to an Email Hotline inquiry, we added the crime of “criminal threats” to our California Crimes page in English and Spanish and to our Selected California Statutes page in English.
We translated into Spanish the recently updated and added questions on our D.C. Civil Protection Orders page.
We translated into Spanish our Emotional and Psychological section.
January 2022
We updated information for the Children of the Night program on our California Statewide Programs page as well as the Teens and Trafficking/Sexual Exploitation pages in our Places That Help section.
Based on an Email Hotline inquiry, we added “unlawful imprisonment” to our Michigan Crimes page in English and Spanish and to our Selected Michigan Statutes page in English.
We translated into Spanish the 8 revised questions in our VAWA Housing Protections page.
We translated into Spanish the updated information on our California Workplace Protections section.
We translated into Spanish the newly added information to three questions in our Indiana Orders for Protection page, related to when a minor is involved in the process.
In Connecticut, we translated into Spanish the revisions to the following questions:
In Georgia, we translated into Spanish the following:
- After I get an order, what steps will law enforcement take to help ensure my safety? in the Family Violence Protective Orders section; and the
- Dating Violence Protective Orders section.
In Arizona, we translated into Spanish the recently revised questions:
- What is the legal definition of harassment? in our Injunctions Against Harassment section; and
- What is the legal definition of domestic violence in Arizona? in our Domestic Violence Orders of Protection section.
We also translated into Spanish the new question Can I file an injunction against a minor? in our Injunctions Against Harassment section.
In our Ohio Domestic Violence / Dating Violence Protection order page, we added a list of the sexually oriented offenses to What is the legal definition of domestic violence in Ohio? and hyperlinked each crime to its statutory definition. Changes made in English and Spanish.
In our Stalking/Cyberstalking page, we added a new question in English and Spanish called How can I document incidents of stalking and cyberstalking?
December 2021
On our North Carolina Download Court Forms page, we added links to the following court forms in English and Spanish: “motion to modify custody” and “small claims court complaint for money owed.”
In our North Carolina Custody section, we added a new question entitled Can a grandparent get visitation rights? in English and Spanish.
Based on newly-enacted laws, we added information about child support lasting until age 26 for a child who is developmentally disabled and lives with the parent seeking support to What is child support? Who can file? in our New York Child Support section in English and Spanish. We also added two related statutes to our Selected New York Statutes page.
In addition, based on updates to the law, in our New York Orders of Protection section, we added the fact that an order of protection can prohibit the abuser from remotely controlling any connected devices affecting the victim’s home, vehicle, or property to What protections can I get in an order of protection?
Based on 2021 changes to the law, we did the following:
- In our Montana Custody section:
- Updated How can I change a final custody order? What effect could a criminal conviction have? to explain that a judge must look at how a proposed change will affect the child and must consider the potential impact of the change on the best interest factors.
- Added information to Can a parent who committed violence get custody or visitation? about how if a custody order is already in place, and the other parent or anyone living with that parent gets convicted of certain violent crimes, you can file an “objection” to the parenting plan to change it.
- Created a new question called If a parent wants to relocate with the child, what factors will a judge consider? to explain the new factors in the law that a judge must consider. We also created a new question called What steps do I have to take if I want to relocate with my child? and added a related statute to our Selected Montana Statutes page.
- In our Montana Restraining Order section:
- We added information to Who can file for an order of protection? to explain that if an adult has a guardian, conservator, or agent appointed by the court due to being incapacitated or protected, s/he can file on the adult victim’s behalf.
- In our Montana State Gun Laws section:
- Added information in English and Spanish to If the abuser has been convicted of a crime, can s/he keep or buy a gun? and I am a victim of domestic violence and the abuser has a gun. Is that legal? about how a conviction for a felony that requires registration with the sexual or violent offender registry prohibits the person from having a firearm. In the same questions, we also better explained how a felony for which someone receives an additional sentence for use of a dangerous weapon disqualifies them by adding the related statute to our Selected Montana Statutes page and hyperlinking to the statute.
Based on 2021 changes to the law regarding who can get a concealed handgun permit, we updated the following questions in our Virginia State Gun Laws pages in English and Spanish:
The changes to the law said: 1) a person cannot get a concealed handgun permit for three years following a conviction for assault and battery of a family or household member for an offense that occurred on or after July 1, 2021 and 2) a person who is enrolled into the Voluntary Do Not Sell Firearms List cannot get such a permit.
We also added information to I am the child’s grandparent. Can I get visitation? in our Virginia Custody section about the fact that a grandparent who wants visitation can show the judge proof of the parent’s consent to the grandchild having visitation with the grandparent if the parent is deceased or incapacitated.
We reworked the Mississippi Custody section, reviewing the existing five questions and adding 10 new questions. We also added 13 statutes to our Selected Mississippi Statutes where users can find the information included in these new questions. Among other questions, we added:
In our Pennsylvania Download Court Forms page, we added a link to divorce forms and updated the link to Bucks County’s protection from abuse order forms in English and Spanish.
We reworked the Michigan Custody section, reviewing the existing four questions and adding 15 new questions. We also added nine statutes to our Selected Michigan Statutes where users can find the information included in these new questions. Among other questions, we added:
We created a New Jersey Child Support section. We also added three new statutes to our Selected New Jersey Statutes where users can find the information included in these new questions:
- How will the judge calculate child support?
- If I have joint custody, is either parent responsible for child support?
- How long will child support last?
- What can I do if the other parent is not paying the ordered child support?
We created a New Mexico Child Support section. We also added three new statutes to our Selected New Mexico Statutes where users can find the information included in these new questions:
- Who can get child support?
- How will the judge calculate child support?
- If I have joint custody, will either parent have to pay child support?
- How long does child support last?
- What can I do if the other parent is not paying the court-ordered child support?
We created a new Arkansas Child Support section. We also added five statutes to our Selected Arkansas Statutes where users can find the information included in these new questions:
- Who can file for child support?
- Where can I file for child support?
- How will the judge calculate child support?
- If my circumstances have changed, can my child support order be changed?
- How long will child support last?
- What can I do if the other parent is not paying the ordered child support?
We reviewed and reorganized 17 questions in the New Jersey Custody section to make it easier for users to find the information they need. We also rewrote four questions and created another four questions for this section:
We reviewed 21 questions in the New Mexico Custody section to make it easier for users to find the information they need. We also added five statutes to our Selected New Mexico Statutes where users can find the information included in these new questions:
- What is binding arbitration?
- If my child was conceived from rape, can the offender’s parental rights be terminated?
- What are the steps for filing for custody?
- Should I start a court case to ask to participate in the Safe Exchange & Supervised Visitation program?
- Can I get financial support for my children?
- What can I do if the other parent took the kids out of state without my permission?
On our Wyoming Crimes page, we updated the links to the state’s Victim Services Division and the Crime Victims Compensation information.
We revised the question If a PR&R order is already in place, how can I get it changed? to add more information about appeals and motions for consideration in our Vermont Custody section.
We added the question What are the usual steps when filing for custody? to expand our New Hampshire Custody section.
In our Wyoming Custody section, we updated the question If a custody order is already in place, how can I get it changed? and added the new question What are the usual steps when filing for custody?.
We updated 11 questions and added the following three new questions in our U.S. Virgin Islands Custody section:
- What are the usual steps when filing for custody?
- If my child was conceived by rape, can the offender get custody?
- Under what circumstances can an abuser’s parental rights be terminated?
We also added a six new statutes related to termination of parental rights and child abuse to our Selected U.S. Virgin Islands Statutes page and the crimes of child abuse, child neglect, and aggravated child abuse and neglect to our U.S. Virgin Islands Crimes page.
We created a new section in our Texas Housing Laws page called Early Lease Termination for Victims of Sexual Assault, Sexual Abuse, or Stalking with three new questions. (Previously, our Housing Laws page only had this information as it relates to domestic violence.) Additions were made in English; Spanish soon to come.
In our Alabama Custody section, we created the questions Can a judge terminate the abuser’s parental rights if the abuser is convicted of a sex crime? and Aside from a conviction for a sex crime, are there other circumstances when parental rights can be terminated?, and we updated the question What are the steps for filing for custody?.
We expanded our Guam Custody section with the following 12 questions:
- What is custody? What types of custody are there?
- Who is considered to have custody if there is no custody order?
- What are some pros and cons of filing for custody?
- Should I start a court case to ask for supervised visitation?
- What are the usual steps when filling for custody?
- Who can file for custody?
- How will a judge make a decision about custody?
- Can a parent who committed violence get custody or visitation?
- Can grandparents or other non-parents get visitation rights?
- What protections can a judge include in a custody order when there is family violence?
- If a custody order is already in place, how can I get it changed?
- Where can I find more information on custody in Guam?