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The legal department has been busy during the past few months. For the first quarter of 2006 (January through April), we have assisted domestic violence victims in filing of 199 temporary protective orders. These orders protect the victims as well as their minor children from their abusers.
Some good news to report is that we have been advised by the Georgia Coalition Against Domestic Violence that a few local attorneys attended a training earlier this year. Because of their attendance and support of domestic violence programs, they have been approved through the Coalition to assist victims, more specifically the victims that come through Safe Homes, with filings of divorce, custody, or other legal concerns our clients might come across. I would like to thank attorneys Richard Pacheco, Suzanne Green, and Lauminnia Nivens for their continued support in the fight against domestic violence. Cont. on page 5
Also I am happy to report that our local judges that order abusers to attend a batterer's intervention program have developed a way to keep track of the registration of these abusers to the program. On the day the judge orders the abusers into the program, they are also instructed to appear back in front of the same judge with proof of registration in the program. If the abuser fails to appear or provide this registration proof, the judge can decide to incarcerate the abuser at that time. I believe this will send a strong message to abusers that domestic violence will not be tolerated by our local judges and is a serious offense that will be treated as such. Kudos to these judges as well in their constant fight to educate and hold accountable those that abuse.
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