Nuevo en WomensLaw.org

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.

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 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 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.

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 our Litigation Abuse page in English and Spanish to include a link to Idaho’s vexatious litigation law. 

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.

We translated the Tennessee Court Forms and State vs. Federal Law pages into Spanish. 

We translated the new Louisiana resource, the Iris Domestic Violence Center, on our Local Programs and Legal Assistance pages. 

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”?

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.

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.

We updated the information for Family Crisis Centers of Northwest Iowa on our Iowa Local Programs page.

We translated into Spanish our New Jersey Child Support and Custody sections. 

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?

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 the Utah Court Forms page into Spanish. 

We translated into Spanish our Tennessee Protection Orders for Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking page. 

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 Workplace Restraining Orders section.

We created a new Safety in School page in our Safety Tips section in English (Spanish soon to come).

We translated into Spanish our recently created Arkansas Child Support section. 

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.

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 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.

We translated into Spanish the following Wisconsin pages: Crimes, Housing Laws and Suing an Abuser for Damages.

We translated into Spanish our Connecticut Restraining Orders page called Civil Protection Orders (for Sexual Abuse, Sexual Assault, or Stalking).

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?

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.