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Survey of California DV Providers Finds Family Courts Fall Short of the Mark  


Author:  Nancy K.D. Lemon.


Source: Volume 10, Number 02, Fall 2017 , pp.75-85(11)




Family & Intimate Partner Violence Quarterly

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Abstract: 

The eminent DV attorney and legal expert, Nancy Lemon, reports on a survey of DV agencies in California regarding the most pressing problems and needs of domestic violence survivors in that state. The survey was conducted by the Family Violence Appellate Project (FVAP), and its main findings are congruent with other studies of the experiences of battered mothers as they navigate family court litigation. Unsurprisingly, their analysis, as outlined in this article, indicated that the top three legal problems facing DV survivors are the courts’ failure to conduct actions for restraining orders, the lack of appropriate weight given to allegations of abuse, leading to inappropriate custody and visitation orders, and abusers being allowed to use the court system to further harass their victims.

Keywords: Family Violence Appellate Project (FVAP); Temporary Restraining Orders; Custody and Visitation; Mediators and Evaluators; Financial Orders

Affiliations:  1: UC Berkeley School of Law.

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