What’s New on WomensLaw.org
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September 2017
In our Hawaii Know the Laws section, we added information to the question What types of orders for protection are there? How long do they last? about an order for a “period of separation” that police officers can issue. We also added the corresponding statute to our Statutes page.
We added a Vulnerable Adult Protection Orders page in English in the Washington Restraining Orders section and 9 corresponding statutes in the State Statutes page.
We added a small section in English and Spanish to our Colorado Restraining Orders section called Civil Protection Order Filed by an Employer in order to clarify that an employer can file for a domestic violence protection order, which is not the case in most states.
We added a Montana state-specific Divorce page and 4 corresponding statutes to our State Statutes page.
We added a California Workplace Violence Restraining Order page in English to provide information on the corresponding state statute.
We updated resources on our Montana Where to Find Help page in English. (1 Statewide; 25 Advocates and Shelters; 3 Legal Assistance; 1 Finding a Lawyer)
We updated our Illinois Download Court Forms page in English and Spanish, adding additional links to court forms.
August 2017
We added a new resource to our Louisiana Local Programs page.
We added new information in English and Spanish to our Washington Restraining Orders section (in multiple questions) about the penalty for violating each type of protection order.
We translated into Spanish the GPS Monitoring page, which was added to our Technology Abuse section in English in June.
We added ”eavesdropping” in Spanish to our Illinois Crimes page.
We added a new section to the Learn About Abuse page called In the Workplace. In it, we created a new section explaining Workplace Restraining Orders (Filed by Employers) and we revamped our Sexual Harassment page (and renamed it Sexual Harassment by a Co-Worker/Boss). All changes were made in English and Spansh.
We added information to our Washington Sexual Assault Protection Orders section in English and Spanish about the factors that a judge will consider when deciding whether or not to extend a protection order to the questions How do I extend my protection order? and What factors will a judge take into consideration when deciding whether or not to extend my order?
Based on feedback from a focus group of WomensLaw.org users, we changed the title of our State and Local Programs pages to Advocates and Shelters (in Spanish, Intercesoras y Albergues). We hope that this new title more clearly conveys what is found on the page!
We added ”tracking device; placement or installment on motor vehicle without consent” in Spanish to our Michigan Crimes page.
We completely reorganized and renamed our Safety Tips page (formerly known as Staying Safe) and we added a new section called Safety Planning with Children in English. Spanish soon to come!
We added a California state-specific Gun Violence Restraining Orders page and ten corresponding statutes to the State Statutes page.
In our North Carolina Divorce section, we translated into Spanish the question What are the reasons I can get an annulment?
We added ”photographing, videotaping or electronically surveilling partially nude or nude person or the sexual or other intimate parts of a person around the person’s clothing” and “dissemination or possession of obscene matter” in Spanish to our Massachusetts Crimes page.
We updated the resources on the Montana Statewide Programs page.
We added a Nebraska state-specific Divorce page and three corresponding statutes to the State Statutes page.
We translated into Spanish the new Computer Crimes page that was added in English to our Technology Abuse section in July.
We added the crimes of obtaining property by false personation, home or private business invasion by false personation, making false statement to obtain property or credit, criminal use of personal identification information, unlawful possession of the personal identification information of another person in English and Spanish to our Florida Crimes page.
We completely re-wrote and re-organized our Colorado State Gun Laws page in English and Spanish.
We translated into Spanish our newly-rewritten Helping Others - Family, Friends and Co-workers page.
We added the crimes of identity fraud and aggravated identity fraud in English and Spanish to the Georgia Crimes page.
We updated the following resources in English on our Pennsylvania Where to Find Help page: 58 legal assistance organizations, 25 lawyer referral services, 78 local programs, and 4 statewide programs. Spanish translation Soon!
We updated 38 resources on our Maryland Local Programs page in English. Spanish soon to come!
We added the crimes of identity theft, unauthorized possession of confidential personal information, and harassment by impersonation to the Hawaii Crimes page.
We updated 3 island-wide domestic violence resources, and added 2 island-wide domestic violence resources on our Guam Island-wide Domestic Violence Resources page.
We added the crimes of identity deception and synthetic identity deception to the Indiana Crimes page and State Statutes page.
We added a Maryland state-specific Divorce page in English and five corresponding statutes to the State Statutes page.
We translated into Spanish the following resources on our Florida Where to Find Help page: 46 local programs, 2 statewide programs, 59 legal assistance organizations, and 12 lawyer referral services.
We added the crimes of false personation and identity theft in English and Spanish to the Illinois Crimes page and State Statutes page.
We updated 5 resources in English on our Missouri Statewide Programs page.
We translated our Maryland Download Court Forms page into Spanish.We translated our Maryland Peace Orders page into Spanish.
We added the crimes of false personation, intimidation by false assertion of authority, misappropriation of personal identifying information, and acquisition of personal identifying information by false authority to our Idaho Crimes page and State Statutes page.
We added information in English to our Washington Custody page about limiting the parental rights of an offender when a child is conceived from sexual assault and a related statute to our State Statutes page.
We translated our new Oklahoma Victim Protective Orders page into Spanish. (English was created in June 2017.)
We updated 74 resources on our Michigan Local Programs page in English. Spanish soon to come!
We added a new question in English and Spanish to our Washington State Gun Laws page called What is the penalty for violating state or federal firearm laws?
We added Upsolve, a legal aid clinic, to our New York Legal Assistance page in Spanish.
July 2017
We finished translating into Spanish everything on the Virginia Know the Laws section!
We translated into English all of the resources on the Puerto Rico Where to Find Help page: (3 Law School Legal Clinics; 1 Lawyer Referral Service; 27 Legal Assistance programs; 13 Sheriff Departments; 5 Statewide Programs).
We added the crime of identity theft to the California Crimes page in English and Spanish.
We translated 39 resources into Spanish on our Texas Where to Find Help page: (1 Statewide Program, 12 Legal Assistance programs, 3 Statewide Legal Assistance programs, 16 Legal Assistance for Battered Immigrant Women programs, and 7 Lawyer Referral Services).
We added the crime of identity theft to the Arizona Crimes page in English and Spanish.
We translated our Virginia Statewide Programs page into Spanish. (The information was updated in English in April).
We added the crime of prohibited conduct relating to spyware to the Alaska Crimes page.
We updated the Texas Download Court Forms page in English and Spanish.
We added the crime of identity theft to the Alabama Crimes page.
We added a Vermont state-specific Divorce page and three corresponding statutes to the State Statutes page.
We added the crime of child custody interference to the Idaho Crimes page.
We updated 1 resource and added 24 resources on our Pennsylvania Lawyer Referral Services page in English. Spanish translation coming soon!
We added a New Hampshire state-specific Divorce page and three corresponding statutes to our State Statutes page.
We updated our Pennsylvania Local Programs (updated 78 resources) and Statewide Programs (updated 4 resources) pages in English. Spanish translation coming soon!
We added a link to our Technology Abuse page in each state’s Crimes page in English and Spanish.
We added a new page to our Preparing for Court section on Ways Courts Use Technology in English and Spanish.
We added a new Computer Crimes page in English to our Technology Abuse section.
We re-wrote our Helping Others - Family, Friends and Co-workers page in English. Spanish soon to come!
We translated all 126 resources on our Texas Local Programs page into Spanish.
In our Virginia Protective Orders section, we improved the question called What is the definition of an act of violence, force, or threat? by hyperlinking the crimes to their legal definitions in the statutes in English and Spanish. We also added a relevant statute to the State Statutes page.
We updated 1 resource in the Statewide Programs, 16 resources in the Legal Assistance for Battered Immigrant Women, and 7 resources in the Lawyer Referral Services pages and edited 4 resources in the Legal Assistance page of Texas in English. Spanish translation is coming soon!
We added the crime of identity theft to the Colorado Crimes page in English and Spanish.
We updated 2 resources in the Florida Statewide Programs page in English and Spanish.
June 2017
We re-wrote and re-organized our South Dakota State Gun Laws page.
We added the crime of electronic and mechanical eavesdropping to our Iowa Crimes page.
We added the U.S. Virgin Islands Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service to the U.S. Virgin Islands Finding a Lawyer page.
We translated into Spanish our Pennsylvania Protection from Sexual Violence or Intimidation Orders page.
We added TLC House to the Indiana Local Programs page.
Based on changes to Wisconsin laws, we added information to our Domestic Abuse Injunctions page, Child Abuse Restraining Orders page, and Individual at Risk Restraining Orders page.
We updated the resource information on our Wyoming Lawyer Referral Services page.
We added a new resource, Hopeful Horizons, to our South Carolina Legal Assistance page.
We updated all of the resources on our Texas Local Programs page in English. Spanish translation coming soon.
We added a GPS Monitoring page in English to our Technology Abuse section. Spanish translation coming soon!
We added the crimes of voyeurism and interception to our Indiana Crimes page.
We added the crime of eavesdropping to our Kentucky Crimes page and State Statutes page.
Based on a change to Tennessee law, we added information about a law enforcement officer being able to file for an order to the question: Am I eligible to file for a protection order?
We added the crime of interception and disclosure of wire, electronic, or oral communications to our Louisiana Crimes page and State Statutes page.
We edited all of the Texas Statewide Programs in English. We also updated the Texas Statewide Legal Assistance page, the Legal Assistance for Battered Immigrant Women page, and the Lawyer Referral Services page in English. Spanish translation coming soon.
We translated our Virginia Custody page into Spanish. The translation of all of the information in our Virginia Know the Laws section is now complete!
We added a new resource, the Electronic Frontier Foundation’s Surveillance Self-Defense toolkit, to our Technology Abuse section in Spanish and English.
We updated 45 resources in the Local Programs, 12 resources in the Lawyer Referral Services, and 57 resources in Legal Assistance pages of Florida in English. Spanish translation coming soon!
We created a new Oklahoma Victim Protective Orders page and added 3 accompanying statutes to our State Statutes page in English.
We added the crime of recording telephone conversations to our Georgia Crimes page.
We updated the links on our South Dakota Download Court Forms page.
We revised the Maryland Peace Orders page in English.
We added the U.S. Virgin Islands Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service to the U.S. Virgin Islands Finding a Lawyer page.
We re-wrote and re-organized our South Dakota State Gun Laws page.
We updated the links on our South Dakota Download Court Forms page.
May 2017
We added information to our Rhode Island State Gun Laws section about a 2017 law that orders surrender of all firearms upon conviction of, or pleading no contest to, various felony crimes against a family or household member. We also added the relevant statute to our Statutes page.
We updated the legal information on our Pennsylvania Divorce page in English and Spanish based on a change in the law. We also updated the links to outside sources and added a new link to the Pennsylvania Courts website with information on representing oneself in a divorce.
Based on an addition to the law, we added new information in English and Spanish to the question In which county can I file for a protective order? on our Oklahoma Domestic Violence Protective Orders page.
We translated three questions on our Oklahoma Stalking Protective Orders page, completing the translation of that section into Spanish.
After receiving an email from a prosecutor in Michigan, we added more detailed information to the question about the cost of filing a petition on all three of our Michigan Personal Protection Orders pages. We also added one relevant statute to our Michigan Statutes page.
We added the crimes of photographing, videotaping or electronically surveilling partially nude or nude and person or the sexual or other intimate parts of a person around the person’s clothing and dissemination or possession of obscene matter to our Massachusetts Crimes page.
We made updates to our Virginia Guns and Protective Orders section in both English and Spanish.
We added Women Against Violence Europe (WAVE) to our National Organizations/American Women Abroad page in both English and Spanish.
We added the crime of tracking device; placement or installment on motor vehicle without consent to our Michigan Crimes page.
We added the crimes of wiretapping and tampering with computer data to our Missouri Crimes page.
April 2017
We updated 1 resource on the Utah Lawyer Referral Services page.
We added the Texas Lawyer Referral Service in English to our Texas Lawyer Referral Services page. Spanish translation coming soon!
We updated the information for all 77 family courts that are listed on our New York Family Courts page in English and Spanish.
We updated our Illinois Workplace Protections in English and Spanish page based on 2017 changes to the law.
We translated our Maryland Domestic Violence Protective Orders page into Spanish.
With the help of Tess Meuer from the Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence, we corrected and updated our Wisconsin Restraining Orders pages.
We updated the links to outside sources on our Illinois Divorce page in English and Spanish.
In response to an Email Hotline inquiry, we added the law on grandparent visitation to our Louisiana Statutes page.
In our Utah Restraining Orders section, we added a Child Protective Orders page and two corresponding statutes.
We added 4 new resources to our Maryland Local Programs page.
We added a link to information about Crime Victims Compensation to our New York Crimes page in Spanish and English.
In response to an Email Hotline inquiry, we added the law Consent required from noncustodial parent to relocate child when primary physical custody established; petition for permission from court; attorney’s fees and costs to our Nevada Statutes page.
Based on recent additions to New Jersey laws, we added information in English and Spanish to our Sexual Assault Restraining Orders page, our Domestic Violence Restraining Orders page, and we added the crime of cyberharassment to our Crimes page and Statutes page.
We added information based on a recently-enacted law to each of the three injunctions pages in our Florida Restraining Orders section regarding the increased punishment for the third violation of an injunction. All additions were made in English and Spanish.
We translated the Maryland Suing Your Abuser page into Spanish.
We re-wrote the question What are the grounds to file for divorce in Delaware? in our Delaware Divorce section.
We updated 11 resources on the Utah Legal Assistance page.
We revised the Delaware Orders of Protection from Abuse page, re-writing the Steps to get an order of protection from abuse section, and improving the questions What is the legal definition of abuse in Delaware? and What types of orders of protection from abuse are there? How long do they last?
March 2017
In response to an Email Hotline inquiry, we added a statute to our Florida Statutes page about enforcement of a foreign child custody order.
We translated into Spanish our Connecticut Restraining Orders (Relief from Abuse Orders) page.
We updated the information and links to outside sources on our Washington Housing Laws page in English and Spanish.
We added the D.C. Reduced Fee Lawyer & Mediator Referral Service in English and Spanish to our D.C. Lawyer Referral Services page.
We updated our Maryland Download Court Forms page in English.
In our Utah Restraining Orders section, we added a Dating Violence Protection Orders page and 6 corresponding statutes to our Utah Statutes page.
In our Virginia Restraining Orders section, we translated into Spanish our Protective Orders (for Family Abuse) page, our Protective Orders (for an Act of Violence, Force, or Threat) page, and our Enforcing Your Out-of-State Order in Virginia page.
We updated the West Virginia Statewide Programs page.
We added the StrongHearts Native Helpline to our National Organizations page in Spanish and English.
Based on an Email Hotline inquiry, we added two statutes to our Nebraska Statutes page regarding enforcing an our-of-state custody order.
We added a new resource to our Virginia and D.C. legal assistance and local programs pages, in English and Spanish.
We added 4 new crimes to our Connecticut Crimes page in English and Spanish.
We translated into Spanish our Online Harassment page.
We re-wrote the Puerto Rico Orders of Protection for the Welfare and Protection of Children page in English and Spanish.
We translated into Spanish our Connecticut State Gun Laws page.
We translated into Spanish our Illinois Stalking No Contact Order page.
We re-wrote the Puerto Rico Protection from Stalking Orders page in English and Spanish and added a new question about when an abuser violates the order. We also added 8 related statutes to our Estatutos (Statutes) page.
We revised the information on our Vermont Sexual Assault or Stalking Protective Orders page and Relief from Abuse Orders page based on 2016 changes to the law. We also added the question called “Can a minor file for an order?” to each section.
We added an Online Harassment page to our Technology Abuse page in English. Spanish translation coming soon!
In our Pennsylvania Restraining Orders section, we added content to our Protection from Sexual Violence or Intimidation Orders page in English and added 7 corresponding statutes to our Pennsylvania Statutes page.
We added a the crime of criminal threatening to the Vermont Crimes page and Statutes page. We also and added a new law about defenses to stalking or aggravated stalking to both pages.