| [New YorkCity
locations] - The Courtroom Advocates Project (CAP) is a
unique program that recruits, trains, supervises and
mentors law students and other volunteers to fill this gap
in advocacy, education and services in New York City’s
Family Courts. Housed at Sanctuary for Families, one of
New York’s oldest and largest providers of social
services for battered women, CAP provides victims with
trained, supervised law students who assist them with the
legal advocacy, education, and safety planning they need
to start new lives. Student Advocates assist domestic
violence victims by helping them draft and file their
petitions, advocating for them during court appearances,
educating them about their legal rights and remedies, and
providing them with safety planning and referrals to
community resources, such as shelters and counseling.
Advocates interview domestic violence victims and help
them draft their petitions. This initial advocacy
significantly improves the quality of the petitions filed
so that they accurately allege the family offenses
committed and request the necessary temporary relief
sought. Advocates then accompany petitioners when they
appear before family court judges and assist them in
requesting appropriate relief from the court, such as
exclusion of the batterer from home or temporary child
support. Advocates accompany petitioners to court on their
adjourn dates and assist them with their cases as they
move forward. In 2004, Seton Hall Law School joined nine
(9) New York City law schools in CAP. CAP trains advocates
through initial full-day intensive training sessions
accompanied by a thorough training manual and additional
follow-up seminars. Advocates are directly supervised in
court and receive ongoing supervision from experienced
family law attorneys.
Eligibility: All law students
Schedule: To be arranged. |
