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Esta parte de nuestro sitio web incluye los cambios que hemos realizado en la página, empezando por el más reciente, pero solamente está disponible en inglés. Si tiene alguna pregunta, no dude en escribirnos.
enero 2020
We added a 2019 law related to filing appeals of protective order decisions to our Selected Mississippi Statutes page.
Based on a law that took effect July 2019, we added If I disagree with the judge’s decision to issue a protective order against me, can I appeal? to the Mississippi Protective Orders page
We updated our Florida Suing an Abuser page to reflect the increase in the small claims court limit from $5,000 to $8,000 in English and Spanish.
We added four statutes to our Selected Florida Statutes page.
We updated our Guam Download Court Forms page and added links to a “complaint for an uncontested divorce” and a ”petition to dismiss, extend or modify an order of protection.”
Based on 2019 changes to the definition of cyberstalking, we updated the question What is the legal definition of stalking in Florida? in our Florida Injunctions for Protection Against Stalking/Cyberstalking in English and Spanish.
On our Virginia Sheriff Departments page, we updated the address, website, and phone number for the Halifax County Sheriff.
We added 7 Colorado statutes on extreme risk protection orders on our Selected Colorado Statutes page.
We added a Colorado Extreme Risk Protection Orders page in English. Spanish translation coming soon!
In our Florida Restraining Orders section, we added information about when attorney’s fees can be awarded to What protections can I get in an injunction for protection against domestic violence? in English. Spanish coming soon.
Based on 2019 changes to the law, we updated three question in our Colorado State Gun Laws section to include extreme risk protection orders as a disqualifying factor for obtaining a concealed handgun permit. We also clarified the other types of protection orders that can disqualify someone. Changes were made in English and Spanish.
We added 24 statutes crimes-related statutes to our Selected Colorado Statutes page in English.
We added 20 new crimes to our Colorado Crimes page in English; Spanish soon to come.
In our Colorado Protection Orders for Stalking, Sexual Assault, Physical Harm/Threats, and Abuse of Elderly/At-Risk Adult section, we clarified the definition of “unlawful sexual behavior” in What is the legal definition of sexual assault? by listing the 25 crimes that come under that definition and linking to the statutory definitions of each crime. Changes made in English; Spanish soon to come.
We updated the information in English on our Reproductive Coercion page with more examples and safety information for victims. Spanish coming soon!
We updated our Arizona Domestic Violence Orders of Protection section to reflect amendments that became effective on January 1, 2020. We updated What types of protection orders are there? How long do they last? to add that emergency orders can be valid for up to 72 hours in English and Spanish. We also updated Step 3: Service of process to regarding service of the petition by law enforcement in English (Spanish soon to come).
We added 14 new statutes to the Selected Arizona Statutes page related to the Injunctions Against Harassment and the crimes that are considered to be sexual violence.
We added 14 new crimes to our Arizona Crimes page in English; Spanish coming soon.
We updated our Arizona Injunctions Against Harassment (IAH) section to reflect amendments that became effective on January 1, 2020. We updated What is the legal definition of harassment? to include sexual violence and the 24 crimes associated with it as new grounds to get an IAH in English (Spanish soon to come). We also added information about not being able to charge for service in certain circumstances to Is there a fee to file or serve an injunction against harassment? in English and Spanish.
Based on a new law, we updated our New York Suing an Abuser page in English and Spanish to include information on suing someone in civil court for sharing or publishing intimate images.
We added eight new domestic violence and sexual assault organizations to our South Carolina Local Programs page and one new program to our South Carolina Legal Assistance page.
We updated 25 state and local programs on our South Carolina Advocates and Shelters page, adding descriptions of services and updating the contact information.
We added a statute on suing a person in civil court for sharing or publishing an intimate image to our Selected New York Statutes page.
We added the crime of “unlawful dissemination or publication of an intimate image” to our New York Crimes page in English and Spanish.
We added a statute on sharing and publishing intimate images without consent to our Selected New York Statutes page.
We updated nine links in our Alabama Legal Information and Places that Help sections.
In our Alabama Restraining Orders section, we updated the question Can a minor get a PFA order? based on changes to the law.
We added the crime of “unauthorized dissemination of indecent material” to our Rhode Island Crimes page.
We added a statute related to sharing intimate images without consent to our Selected Rhode Island Statutes page.
In our Virginia Custody section, we updated the question What is the difference between custody and visitation? in English and Spanish to reflect 2019 and 2018 changes to the law. Specifically, we clarified the fact that judges do not favor any form of custody and that a parent can request that the exchange of the child take place at an appropriate location instead of the home of one of the parents. (We regret the delay in adding the 2018 amendment.)
We added 6 Hawaii statutes on gun violence protective orders on our Selected Hawaii Statutes page.
We added a Hawaii Gun Violence Protective Orders page.
We added the new law enacted in 2019 called “false caller identification information; penalty” to our Selected Virginia Statutes page in English.
We added the crimes of “false caller identification information” and “causing telephone or pager to ring with intent to annoy” to our Virginia Crimes page in English and Spanish.
In our Virginia State Gun Laws section, we added information to two questions based on a 2018 amendment to the law that makes it illegal to possess a firearm based on involuntarily admission into outpatient treatment as a minor, age 14 or older. Changes were made in English and Spanish. We regret the delay in adding this information.
diciembre 2019
In our Georgia Divorce page, we added two new links to outside information in Where can I find additional information about divorce laws in Georgia? in English and Spanish.
In response to an Email Hotline question, we added a statute to our Selected Michigan Statutes page regarding the statutes of limitation for suing someone in civil court.
In our Florida Legal Assistance page, we fixed the links for Jacksonville Area Legal Aid (Green Cove Springs Office) in Clay County and the Charlotte County Justice Center.
We added six laws related to financial exploitation to our Selected West Virginia Statutes page.
We added a West Virginia Financial Exploitation Protective Orders page.
We added the crime of engaging in repeated acts of sexual assault of the same child to our Wisconsin Crimes page.
We added four statutes to our Selected Wisconsin Statutes page, including two housing-related statutes and two crimes-related statutes.
We created a new Wisconsin Housing Laws section with five questions that explain the various protections offered to victims of domestic abuse, sexual assault, or stalking.
Based on changes to the law, we updated two questions in our Alaska Restraining Orders Section. We updated Can I modify and/or extend my protective order? to reflect that a person can file a petition to extend their order. We also updated What types of stalking or sexual assault protective orders are there? How long do they last? to show that this type of order can now last for one year instead of just six months.
We added links to court forms for custody, divorce, small claims court, and more to our Wisconsin Download Court Forms page.
We added a new statute to our Selected West Virginia Statutes page related to minors and protective orders.
We added two new questions to the West Virginia Protective Orders (for Domestic Violence) page called Can a minor file for an order? and Can I file for an order against a minor?
Based on statutes changes, we created the question If I share a cell phone account with the abuser, can I transfer the account into my name? on the Puerto Rico Stalking and Domestic Violence Protection Order sections.
Based on Puerto Rico statute changes, we revised the information on the following questions What is an order of protection for the elderly?, What is the legal definition of abuse of the elderly?, What protections can an elderly person get in a protection order?, Who can file for an order of protection for the elderly? on our Orders of Protection for the Elderly section. We also reviewed the question Who can file for a protection order? on our Protection Orders for Domestic Violence section and What are the grounds for divorce in Puerto Rico? in our Divorce section. All in English and Spanish.
In our West Virginia Protective Orders (for domestic violence) section, we revised How much does it cost to get a protective order? to clarify that there are no fees for filing, service, or other related services associated with the order. We also added information about the appeals process to What are my options if I was denied a protective order? and clarified that a minor can file for an order in Who can get a protective order?
Based on 2019 changes to the law, we updated the question Can I get alimony? in our Vermont Divorce section to include Social Security and retirement benefits as a factor when deciding on an alimony award and to change “permanent” alimony to “long-term” alimony.
We added the crime of human trafficking to our Selected Vermont Statutes page.
Based on changes to Vermont law that became effective in 2018, we updated the question If my child was conceived as a result of sexual assault or human trafficking, can the offender get parental rights and responsibilities? in our Custody section to include human trafficking as a reason that an offender’s parental rights can be terminated. (We regret the delay in making this update.) We also added the crime of human trafficking to our Vermont Crimes page.
In our Massachusetts Child Support section, we added a new question entitled Can the judge order that I provide health care coverage?
Based on an update to the law, we created a new question in our Washington Custody section called How will a judge decide if I can relocate with my child?
We added a new statute related to child support to our Selected U.S. Virgin Islands Statutes page.
In our U.S. Virgin Islands Child Support section, we created a new question entitled Until what age does child support have to be paid?
We re-wrote the U.S. Virgin Islands Download Court Forms page, and adding links to forms related to restraining orders, visitation, small claims court, and more. We also updated the link to the Superior Court’s information about small claims court on our U.S. Virgin Islands Suing an Abuser page. In addition, in our U.S. Virgin Islands Child Support section, we added information about health care coverage being part of child support in the question What is child support?
We added six laws related to elder abuse to our Selected Alabama Statutes page.
We added an Alabama Elder Abuse Protection Orders page.
We added six statutes to our Selected Washington Statutes page.
Based on changes to the law, we updated five questions in our Know the Laws - By State section for Washington. We updated the Suing an Abuser page, and questions in the State Gun Laws, Restraining Orders, and Custody sections.
We added a Delaware Lethal Violence Protective Orders page.
We added one new statute related to housing laws to our Selected Missouri Statutes page.
We created a new page for Missouri Housing Laws, based on an August 2019 addition to Missouri law.
Based on a September 2019 addition to Texas law, we added information to What types of protective orders are available? How long do they last? about the reasons that a protective order for victims of sexual assault, sexual abuse, indecent assault, stalking, or trafficking could last forever. All changes made in English; Spanish soon to come. In addition, we updated six other questions in English and Spanish in our in our Texas Protective Orders for Victims of Sexual Assault, Sexual Abuse, Indecent Assault, Stalking, or Trafficking section to reflect the fact that indecent assault is now covered by this type of restraining order.
noviembre 2019
Based on a September 2019 addition to the law that includes “indecent assault” as a ground for a protective order, we created a new question called What is the definition of indecent assault? in our Texas Protective Orders for Victims of Sexual Assault, Sexual Abuse, Indecent Assault, Stalking, or Trafficking. All changes made in English; Spanish soon to come.
Based on September 2019 changes to the law, we added information to our Texas Housing Laws page to explain that certain documentation or a magistrate’s order can also qualify a victim of abuse to break his/her lease without penalty. Changes made in English; Spanish soon to come.
We added the question What can I do if the abuser violates the order? in English and Spanish to our Texas Protective Orders for Victims of Sexual Assault or Abuse, Stalking, or Trafficking section.
In our Texas Family Violence Protective Orders page, we added information in English and Spanish to:
- What can I do if the abuser violates the order? to clarify that a violation of an order can be a class A misdemeanor, a state jail felony, or a felony in the third degree depending on various factors; and
- What is a magistrate’s order for emergency protection? How long does it last? to include indecent assault as a ground for getting an order.
We added the crimes of “indecent assault,” “false caller identification information display,” and “unlawful electronic transmission of sexually explicit visual material” to our Texas Crimes page in English and Spanish.
We added the crimes of “indecent assault,” “false caller identification information display,” and “unlawful electronic transmission of sexually explicit visual material” to our Selected Texas Statutes page in English. These crimes were enacted into Texas law in September 2019.
In our Texas Custody page, we added information to What is a standard possession order? about the typical terms in a standard possession order for parents who live 100 miles apart or less. Changes made in English; Spanish soon to come.
We added one statute to our Selected Delaware Statutes page based on an Email Hotline inquiry.
Based on 2019 changes to the law, in our Texas Custody page, we added information in English about:
- additional people who can file for conservatorship in Other than a parent, who else can file for managing or possessory conservatorship (custody)?
- the right to apply for, renew, and keep a child’s passport in What is sole managing conservatorship (SMC)?
- additions rights of a conservator in What is conservatorship (custody)? What types are there?
Spanish soon to come!
We added six statutes related to abusive civil actions to our Selected Tennessee Statutes page.
Based on 2019 additions to the law, we added a new section with five new questions to our Tennessee Suing an Abuser page.
Based on 2019 additions to the law, in our Oklahoma Restraining Orders section, we updated the information in four questions, including What are the reasons (grounds) for getting a protective order? We also updated What types of protective orders are available? How long do they last? to reflect that an emergency temporary order of protection can now last for up to 14 days instead of just until the next date that the court is open. All changes in English.
We added 8 New York statutes on extreme risk protection orders on our Selected New York Statutes page.
We added a New York Extreme Risk Protection Orders page. Spanish translation coming soon!
In our South Carolina Custody page, we updated the link to court forms on the South Carolina Judicial Branch website. We also updated the links in our South Carolina Download Court Forms page and added links for family court forms and for restraining orders based on harassment and stalking.
We updated the links and information in English and Spanish on our Oklahoma Download Court Forms page.
Based on a 2019 addition to the law that makes it illegal to possess a firearm if you are on probation pursuant to a deferred judgment for a felony, we updated two questions in our Nebraska State Gun Laws section. We also updated the links to resources found on Nebraska Legal Aid’s website on our Nebraska Custody page and Divorce page.
We added a statute related to a trafficking victim’s right to sue the trafficker for money damages to our Selected Nebraska Statutes page.
Based on 2019 amendments to the law, we added information to our Nebraska Suing an Abuser page about a trafficking victim’s right to sue the trafficker for money damages.
We updated the links on our Rhode Island Custody page to link to the newest child support schedule of payments based on monthly income and to link to the newest modification request form. We also updated the website and phone number for the state’s victim compensation program on our Rhode Island Crimes page.
Based on 2019 additions to the law, in our Rhode Island Domestic Violence Restraining Orders section, we updated the information in Am I eligible? Do I file in family court or district court? regarding children who can be eligible for a restraining order. We also updated What protections can I get in a domestic violence restraining order? to include the fact that the judge can include a provision for the safety of household animals and pets.
We added the crime of “disclosing intimate images” to our Selected Washington Statutes page.
We added two statutes to our Selected Ohio Statutes page about suing in civil court if an abuser shares your private sexual images and the crime of nonconsensual dissemination of private sexual images.
We added the crime of coercion to our Selected Nevada Statutes page in English.
We added the crime of “nonconsensual dissemination of private sexual images” to our Selected Missouri Statutes page.
We added the crimes of sex trafficking and forced marriage to our Selected Maryland Statutes page.
We added the crimes of strangulation in the first and second degrees to our Kentucky Selected Kentucky Statutes page.
We added seven statutes to our Utah Selected State Statutes section, mostly relating to sexual violence protective orders.
Based on 2019 additions to the law, we revised three questions in our Nevada Restraining Orders section regarding the length of time that temporary and extended orders can last. The changes were made in the Orders for Protection Against Sexual Assault page, Orders for Protection Against Domestic Violence page, and Orders for Protection Against Stalking & Harassment page. All changes made in English and Spanish.
We added 19 questions to our Preparing for Court - By Yourself section. The new questions address such topics as Time Limits (Statutes of Limitation), Subject Matter Jurisdiction, Motions, and Collecting a Judgment, in English. Spanish coming soon!
Based on 2019 additions to the law, we created three new questions in our Nevada Restraining Orders section. The question, entitled Can an order for protection be changed or ended early? was added to our Orders for Protection Against Sexual Assault page, Orders for Protection Against Domestic Violence page, and Orders for Protection Against Stalking & Harassment page. All changes made in English; Spanish coming soon.
In our Nevada Custody section, we revised If I have a custody order from another state, can I enforce it in Nevada? to update the notice requirements that a petitioner must follow when registering an out-of-state custody order. We regret the delay in making this update, which is based on a 2017 change to the law. Changes made in English; Spanish coming soon.
Based on a new law, we created a Sexual Violence Protective Orders section in our Utah Restraining Orders section.
We added a new question and updated all the information on our Abuse in Tribal Communities page in English– Spanish coming soon! WomensLaw thanks attorney Janet Routzen, Rosebud Sioux Tribe, and former executive director of the White Buffalo Calf Woman Society, for her help in creating and editing this information!
We updated five resources on our Hawaii Legal Assistance and one resource on Lawyer Referral pages.
We updated all the links on our National Organizations pages in English and Spanish.
In our Utah Protective Orders due to Domestic Violence/Abuse section, we updated four questions based on changes in the law, including adding aggravated animal cruelty as an abusive act that could qualify someone for an order in What is the legal definition of domestic violence in Utah?
We updated the information and resources, including a direct link to to DV LEAP, which helps victims with civil appeals cases on our After a Decision is Issued page in Preparing for Court - By Yourself in English. Spanish coming soon!
In our Nevada Orders for Protection Against Domestic Violence section, based on 2019 changes to the law, we added information to Step 4: Service of process about requesting alternate service if law enforcement cannot serve the abuser at his/her home. We also updated the penalties for violating an order in What can I do if the abuser violates the order? Changes made in English; Spanish coming soon.
We also added the crime of coercion to our Nevada Crimes page in English and Spanish.
Based on 2019 changes to the law, in our Nevada Orders for Protection Against Domestic Violence section, we made the following changes: 1) We added three additional criminal acts that could qualify someone for an order in What is the legal definition of domestic violence in Nevada? 2) We updated the relationship requirements in Who is eligible for an order for protection against domestic violence? 3) We clarified the basis for granting a temporary order in What is an order for protection against domestic violence? What types of orders are there? All changes made in English and Spanish.
Based on a new law that tolls protection order expiration dates when the abuser is in jail or prison, we added a new question to our Wyoming Restraining Orders section called, What happens to my protection order if the abuser goes to jail or prison?
Based on a 2019 change to the law that increased the length of time that a protection order can be extended (from one year to three years), we revised the information in two questions in our Wyoming Protection Orders section.
Based on 2019 changes to the law regarding the effect of voluntary admission into treatment on firearm possession, we updated two questions in our Connecticut State Gun Laws page in English and Spanish.
In Delaware, we added 8 statutes on lethal violence protective orders to the Selected Delaware Statutes page. More information coming soon!
octubre 2019
Based on a 2019 change to the law that added strangulation as a ground for an interpersonal protective order, we revised the information in two questions in our Kentucky Interpersonal Protective Orders section.
We added the crimes of strangulation in the first and second degrees to our Kentucky Crimes page.
Based on a 2019 change to the law that added strangulation as a ground for a protective order, we revised the question What is the legal definition of domestic violence in Kentucky? in our Kentucky Protective Orders / Domestic Violence Orders section.
We updated the contact information for Safe on Seven Domestic Violence Center (S.O.S.) on our North Carolina Local Programs page.
We added an Illinois Firearms Restraining Orders page in English and 9 corresponding statutes to the Selected Illinois Statutes page. Spanish translation coming soon!
We updated and reorganized our entire Domestic Violence in the Military section in English. This update involved rewriting many questions using new guidance that had been issued by the Department of Defense, updating outdated links, and adding new resources. Spanish coming soon!
We updated our Ohio State Gun Laws section in English, adding state-specific information to existing questions and reorganizing the entire section to make the information more accessible. We also added one related statutes to the Ohio Selected Statutes section. Spanish coming soon!
We updated the resources on our Nebraska Download Court Forms page.
On our Louisiana Restraining Orders page, we added the question What types of stalking protective orders are there? How long do they last?
On our Louisiana Restraining Orders page, we revised the question What types of sexual assault protective orders are there? How long do they last? to add information about the court process and how an order may be renewed.
We added the crimes of sex trafficking and forced marriage to our Maryland Crimes page in English and Spanish.
In our Maryland State Gun Laws page, we updated two questions based on changes to the law that expand the amount of crimes that are considered “crimes of violence” for firearm prohibition purposes. Changes were made in Spanish and English.
We added the crime of “nonconsensual dissemination of private sexual images” to our Missouri Crimes page.
In our Maryland Custody section, we revised the question What is mediation? Is it ordered for victims of abuse? to add information about the process for parties to request a substitute mediator and to clarify how many hours the mediation can last. All changes were made in English and Spanish.
We added new links to custody-related court forms on our Idaho Custody page and new links to small claims court forms on our Idaho Suing an Abuser page.
We added the crime of “disclosing intimate images” to our Washington Crimes page iin English and Spanish and to the Selected Washington Statutes page in English.
Based on changes to the law, we revised the information in What is the legal definition of telephone harassment in Idaho? and What is the legal definition of malicious harassment in Idaho? in our Idaho Protection Orders Against Malicious Harassment, Stalking, and Telephone Harassment page.
We added the crime of “use of telephone to annoy, terrify, threaten, intimidate, harass or offend” to our Idaho Crimes page.
We updated the Iowa Elder Abuse Protective Orders page based on changes to the legal definition of a “vulnerable elder.”
Based on new laws, we added two new questions to our Indiana Firearms Seizure and Retention page called What happens if a dangerous individual possesses a gun after the judge removes his/her firearms? and Under what circumstances can the firearms be returned to the individual? We also revised the information in the question How are firearms removed from a dangerous individual under this law? For how long are they removed?. We added four related statutes to our Selected Indiana Statutes page.
Based on changes to Indiana law, we updated What types of order for protections are there? How long do they last? iin our Indiana Orders for Protection page to include information about not being able to get an ex parte order based only on harassment.
We added information on our Ohio Suing An Abuser page about suing in civil court if an abuser shares your private sexual images. We also added the corresponding statute to our Selected Ohio Statutes page.
We added the crime of nonconsensual dissemination of private sexual images to our Ohio Crimes page in Spanish and English.
We added a Vermont Extreme Risk Protection Orders page and 5 corresponding statutes to the Selected Vermont Statutes page.
septiembre 2019
On our Ohio Places that Help page, we added descriptions of services and updated the contact information for 84 State and Local Programs and 25 Legal Services/Lawyer Referral Services. All updates were made in English and Spanish.
We updated the contact information for the 244 courthouses on our Texas Courthouse Locations page in English and Spanish.
We translated into Spanish our Oregon Sexual Abuse Protective Orders.
We translated into Spanish our Ohio Download Court Forms page.
We translated into Spanish our recently-updated Ohio Domestic Violence Protection Orders section.
We updated all 86 courthouses on our Ohio Courthouse Locations page in English and Spanish. We changed the contact information from the clerk’s office to the courts of common pleas and added each court’s website to make it easier for users to access the information that they need.
We updated all 26 resources on our Illinois Legal Assistance pages in English and Spanish!
We translated into Spanish our recently created District of Columbia Extreme Risk Protection Orders page.
We added a new section about Orders of Protection for Adults with Disabilities to our Illinois Restraining Orders page. Spanish coming soon!
Based on 2019 changes to the law, we added added four new questions about non-parent visitation in the Who can get custody and visitation section of our Illinois Custody page. Spanish coming soon!
Based on 2019 changes to the law, we added added two new questions about “equitable caregivers” and made one edit to a question about visitation in the Who can get custody and visitation section of our Georgia Custody page. We also added one related statute to our Selected State Statutes page. Spanish coming soon!
We translated into Spanish our Connecticut Local Programs.
Based on feedback from Loveisrespect, we made changes to our information and resources in Information for Teens and Young Adults in English ans Spanish!
We translated into Spanish over 200 organizations that are listed in our National Organizations page.
We added the crime of distribution of an intimate image to our Indiana Crimes page and Selected Indiana Statutes page.