What’s New on WomensLaw.org

We added one new resource, the Los Angeles Center for Law and Justice, on our California Legal Assistance page in English and Spanish.

We moved one resource, the Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence, to our Massachusetts Statewide Programs page.

We updated the name and contact information for one resource, the Domestic Violence Services of Snohomish County, on our Washington Local Programs page.

We added the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence’s Virtual Legal Clinic as a new resource on our Illinois Legal Assistance page. We also updated our Illinois Statewide Programs page to include it there as well.

We updated contact information and descriptions of services for 8 resources on our Maine Legal Assistance page in English and Spanish.

In our U.S. Virgin Islands Child Support page, we re-wrote the answers to How is the amount of child support determined? and When and where should I file for child support?  We also created a new question called How will I get the child support payments owed to me? We also added three related statutes to our Selected U.S. Virgin Islands Statutes page.

We added the following questions to our Nebraska Custody section:

• What is custody?
• What is a parenting plan?
• What must be included in a parenting plan?
• What is mediation?
• What factors will a judge consider when deciding custody?
• Can a parent who has committed violence or is a registered sex offender get custody?
• Should I start a court case to ask for supervised visits?

​Questions added in English; Spanish coming soon! We also added six related statutes to our Selected Nebraska Statutes page.

We translated into Spanish our Kansas Custody page. 

In our Nevada Child Support page, we did the following:

• Revised I was supporting my children by myself before I filed for child support. Can I get child support for that period of time? to include information about the father’s obligation to pay the expenses of the mother’s pregnancy.
• Revised How will the amount of child support be decided? to explain the new formula for calculating child support that took effect in 2020. (We regret the delay in updating this information.)
• Created two new questions called Is the cost of child care included in a child support order? and When can a child support order be modified?

We added six child support-related statutes to our Selected Nevada Statutes page.

(For the text revisions, Spanish coming soon!)

Based on a 2022 addition to the law, we revised Can a parent who has been violent get parental rights and responsibilities and/or visitation? in our Maine Custody page to explain the option to request that the judge order a “forensic risk assessment” if a parent is concerned about his/her child’s safety.

Based on 2022 amendments to the law, we did the following in English and Spanish:

• In our Arizona Injunctions Against Harassment section, we revised What is an injunction against harassment? to delete the part of the definition that defined harassment as “any contact if the person is the victim of a crime that was committed by the defendant.”
• In our Arizona Domestic Violence Orders of Protection section, we updated three questions to reflect that permanent orders of protection now last two years instead of one. We also updated What types of protection orders are there? How long do they last? to reflect the fact that emergency orders now last seven calendar days instead of 72 hours.
• In our Arizona Divorce section, we added information to What are the grounds for divorce in Arizona? about how a judge will determine if a marriage is irretrievably broken when both parties agree that it is and when one party disagrees. We also added to Can  I get alimony? the fact that spousal support is only supposed to be ordered only for a period of time and in an amount necessary to enable the receiving spouse to become self-sufficient. (Spanish coming soon!)

We updated a resource on our Rhode Island Statewide Programs page in both English and Spanish.

We created a new robust and comprehensive South Dakota Custody page. Over the 22 questions created, we cover how custody is defined in the law; what are the parental guidelines including when they apply; custody considerations when one of the parents is an abuser; and how the judge will make a decision. On our South Dakota Selected Statutes we also uploaded 47 sections of the law that include the information used to create this custody page. 

Based on 2022 amendments to the laws, we did the following in our Vermont Relief from Abuse Orders page:

• Revised What protections can I get in a relief from abuse order? to add that a judge can order the abuser to immediately give up his/her firearms and to not get any new firearms as part of a temporary ex parte order.
• Revised What types of relief from abuse orders are available? How long do they last? to add that an application for an ex parte order can be made over the phone. (We also added information from a 2018 amendment that we regrettably failed to add earlier, namely, that ex parte orders can be issued when courts are closed with the help of law enforcement.) 

In addition, we did the following:

• Added five statutes to our Selected Vermont Statutes page, one related to small claims court and four related to crimes.
• Added seven crimes to our Vermont Crimes page, namely ”simple assault,” “aggravated assault,” “recklessly endangering another person,” “interference with access to emergency services,” “domestic assault,” “first degree aggravated domestic assault,” and “second degree aggravated domestic assault.”

In our Virginia Crimes page, we changed the Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund to the Virginia Victims Fund and updated the link to the new state’s website. Changes made in English and Spanish.

We created a new section about the Puerto Rico Sexual Violence Protection Orders in Spanish. English coming soon. We also added the related statutes to our Selected Puerto Rico Statutes page.

In our Mississippi Custody section, we created a question called How does a parent’s military deployment affect his/her custody and visitation rights? We also added the related statute to our Selected Mississippi Statutes page.

We added the crimes of “reckless conduct,” “terrorizing,” and “interfering with the reporting of family violence” to our Guam Crimes page and Selected Guam Statutes page. In addition, based on 2022 amendments, we updated the language of the following laws on our Selected Guam Statutes page: “first degree criminal sexual conduct,” “second degree criminal sexual conduct,” ”third degree criminal sexual conduct,” and “fourth degree criminal sexual conduct.”

Based on 2022 additions to Oklahoma law, we did the following: 

1. Updated the two questions entitled “What is the legal definition of stalking in Oklahoma?” to include the definition for “course of conduct” in our Oklahoma Stalking Protective Orders section and Domestic Violence Protective Orders section.
2. Updated What is a stalking protective order? What steps must I take before filing for the order? in our Oklahoma Stalking Protective Orders section to explain that the law requires police to serve a “Stalking Warning Letter” upon the accused after a report of stalking is made. 
3. Added the fact that an adult victim of any crime can also qualify for a protective order in What are the reasons (grounds) for getting a protective order? in our Oklahoma Domestic Violence Protective Orders section.
4. Updated What types of protective orders are available? How long do they last? in our Oklahoma Domestic Violence Protective Orders section.to add the fact that to get a “continuous order,” the victim can now provide any proof to the judge that shows why such an order is necessary. We also added more information about what a law enforcement officer should do if a judge approves an emergency order when the courts are closed.
5. Updated What protections can I get in a protective order? in our Oklahoma Domestic Violence Protective Orders section and What protections can I get in a stalking protective order? in our Oklahoma Stalking Protective Orders section to add the new pre-printed warnings that appear in these protective orders.

In addition, we included the following information in the two questions entitled “What is the legal definition of stalking in Oklahoma?” in our Oklahoma Stalking Protective Orders section and Domestic Violence Protective Orders section:

• a more clear definition of “stalking;” and
• the fact that the legal definition of harassment includes:
  • making obscene, threatening or harassing calls or other electronic communications; and
  • committing malicious intimidation or harassment because of race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin or disability.

We then added the crime of “malicious intimidation or harassment because of race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin or disability” to our Oklahoma Crimes page and Selected Oklahoma Statutes page.

Lastly, in our Oklahoma Victim Protective Orders section, in What acts of violence can qualify me for a victim protective order?, we hyperlinked the crimes that qualify someone for an order to the statutory definitions to make comprehension easier.

All changes made in English; Spanish coming soon!

We translated into Spanish 8 recently updated questions in our Illinois Workplace Protections page.

We translated into Spanish our Michigan Custody page.

In our Montana Suing an Abuser for Money page, we updated the link to court forms on the Judicial Branch website. We also added a statute related to small claims court to our Selected Montana Statutes page. 

We updated contact information for two organizations on our West Virginia Local Programs page.

In our Illinois Divorce page, we translated into Spanish the newly created question called If I don’t have money to hire a lawyer, can the judge order my spouse to pay my attorney’s fees? and the added information to Can I get alimony? What factors will a judge consider? about how a judge will decide whether to issue temporary maintenance. 

In our New Jersey Divorce page, we revised If I get a lawyer, can the judge order my spouse to pay my attorney fees? to add the factors that a judge will consider when determining the amount of an award of attorneys fees. Spanish coming soon. We also updated our New Jersey Download Court Forms page in English and Spanish to add links to divorce forms and restraining orders forms.

We added the following nine crimes to our North Dakota Crimes page and Selected North Dakota Statutes page: 

• Aggravated assault
• Domestic violence
• Reckless endangerment
• Menacing
• Criminal coercion
• Sexual imposition
• Gross sexual imposition
• Surreptitious intrusion
• Sexual extortion.

Based on 2022 amendments to the law, we revised two questions in our Delaware State Gun Laws section to change the prohibition of firearm possession from a “juvenile” to anyone under 21 unless it’s for the purpose of hunting, sport, etc., and other exceptions are met.

In our Delaware Crimes page, we added the crime of “sexual extortion.” We also changed the name of ”strangulation” to “strangulation or suffocation” based on a 2022 amendment to the law. Lastly, we added the sexual extortion law to our Selected Delaware Statutes page. 

Based on a 2022 amendment to the law, we updated two questions in our Missouri Orders of Protection due to Domestic Violence section and one question in our Missouri Orders of Protection due to Stalking or Sexual Assault section to clarify that if a judge orders the abuser to pay the victim’s attorney’s fees, it can cover the time period before bringing the court case, during the court case, and after the entry of judgment.

In our Minnesota Housing Laws page, we added two questions about protections from discrimination for victims.

Based on 2022 amendments to the law, updated our Kentucky Restraining Orders section as follows:

1. Revised What is the legal definition of domestic violence in Kentucky? and What is the legal definition of dating violence and abuse, sexual assault, and stalking? to add the following additional acts of violence to the definition of domestic violence and dating violence:
   • committing cruelty to animals in the 1^st or 2^nd degree;
   • torturing a dog or cat; 
   • committing sexual crimes against an animal; or
   • making you fear that the acts listed above will immediately be committed against a domestic animal with which you have a close bond in order to coerce, control, punish, intimidate you or to get revenge against you.
2. Revised What protections can I get in an emergency protective order and a domestic violence order? and What protections can I get in an interpersonal protective order? to include the following additional protections:
   • stating which communications are allowed and which are not allowed, permitting limited communication if you request it;
   • allowing either party to get his/her personal belongings from the home and order law enforcement to assist, if requested (in a DV order only); 
   • give you possession of any shared domestic animal; and
   • if you request it, allow you and the abuser to be in a common area together under limited circumstances.

We also added these crimes to our Kentucky Crimes page four related statutes to our Selected Kentucky Statutes page.

We added a new question to the Divorce page in every state and territory called “Where can I find additional information about divorce on WomensLaw.org?” to link users to our divorce videos and more.  It was also added in Spanish to the 30 states that are currently translated into Spanish.

We added the following new questions in English and Spanish:

• To the Custody section in 38 states, ”If I move to a new state, can I transfer my custody case there?” (The remaining 16 states already have a similar question.)
• To the Restraining Orders section in 54 states/territories, “If I get a protection order, will it show up in an internet search?”

We translated into Spanish our Tennessee Crimes page. 

We translated into Spanish our recently created Safety in School page in our Safety Tips section.

We translated into Spanish the recent updates to the question Can a parent who committed violence get custody (parental responsibility) or visitation (time-sharing)? in our Florida Custody page.

In our Arkansas Custody section, we re-wrote Can the child’s grandparent file for custody? to better explain that a grandparent may be able to intervene in an ongoing court case but not initiate their own case. We also re-wrote Can a sibling file for visitation? to explain who could file a petition if the sibling seeking visitation is a minor. Changes made in English and Spanish.

We added two legal clinics to our Nebraska Legal Assistance page in English and Spanish.

We added one new organization to our Maine Legal Assistance page and updated one resource on our Maine Lawyer Referral Services page, all in English and Spanish.

We added a law school legal clinic to our Florida Legal Assistance page in English and Spanish.

We added two new organizations to our Delaware Legal Assistance page and updated one, all 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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

We added a new statute with definitions related to sexual assault to our Selected Wisconsin Statutes page.

We updated contact information for Delaware Volunteer Legal Services on our Delaware Legal Assistance page.

We created a new question in our Ohio Custody page called Can I change an order after it is issued? Spanish coming soon!

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.

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.

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 translated into Spanish the question Where can I find additional information about divorce in Washington? on our Divorce section in Washington. 

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.

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.

We added a statute related to small claims court to our Selected Pennsylvania 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.

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 translated into Spanish the recent revisions to our Wisconsin State Gun Laws page.

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 translated into Spanish our recently expanded question What do I keep in mind when going to court? in our At the Hearing 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.

In our South Dakota Local Programs page, we added information about a new program called the Family Crisis Center.

In our Utah Local Programs page, we updated the contact information for three programs in Midvale and Moab counties.