What’s New on WomensLaw.org

Based on 2023 legislative amendments, we did the following in our Minnesota State Gun Laws section:

• Revised What is the definition of a felony? to reflect the change in definition of a felony from imprisonment for “more than one year” to imprisonment of “one year or more;” and
• Revised the following questions to add the fact that the law now prohibits someone who has an extreme risk protection order issued against him/her, either an emergency order or one issued after a hearing, from possessing firearms:
  • I am a victim of domestic violence and the abuser has a gun. Is that legal?
  • I have an order for protection against the abuser. Can his/her gun be taken away?
  • I do not have an order for protection against the abuser, and s/he has not been convicted of any crimes. Can s/he have a gun?

We also added links to divorce forms and small claims court forms on our Minnesota Download Court Forms page, and we added a link to small claims court forms to our Minnesota Suing an Abuser for Money page.

All changes made in English and Spanish.

In our Michigan Restraining Orders section, we re-wrote the question Does it cost anything to register my protection order? to cite the federal law that prohibits charging a fee, and we updated the links to court forms in three other questions. In our Michigan Suing an Abuser for Money section, we added a link to small claims court forms on the Michigan courts website. Lastly, on our Michigan Download Court Forms page, we updated links to court forms for personal protection orders and added a link to court forms for small claims court. All changes made in English and Spanish.

In our Arkansas Housing Laws section we revised the question If I am a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking, how does the law protect me? to clarify who is protected by this law. We added 3 new questions:

• What proof or documentation do I have to give the landlord to prove that I am a victim?
• Can I change my locks or ask my landlord to change my locks?
• Can a landlord evict the abuser or get the abuser to pay for damages to the rental home?

All changes made in English. Spanish coming soon!

We added 12 new crimes related to domestic violence, assault, invasion of privacy, and computer crimes to our Virginia Crimes page in English and Spanish. We also added 12 related statutes to the Selected Virginia Statutes page.

We revised seven questions on our Wisconsin Restraining Orders page to add information about having an injunction made permanent if the respondent has been convicted of sexual assault in the first, second, or third degrees, or repeated acts of sexual assault against a child:

• What types of domestic abuse orders are there? How long do they last?
• Can a final domestic abuse injunction be changed or extended?
• What types of child abuse restraining orders are there? How long do they last?
• Can a child abuse restraining order be extended?
• What types of harassment restraining orders are there? How long do they last?
• Can a final harassment restraining order be extended?
• Can a final individual at risk restraining order be extended?

We created three new questions on our Wisconsin Restraining Orders page to make it clear that a respondent can ask to have a permanent injunction modified or terminated if the crime they were convicted of is vacated:

• Can the respondent modify or terminate a permanent child abuse restraining order?
• Can the respondent modify or terminate a permanent harassment restraining order?
• Can the respondent modify or terminate a permanent individual at risk restraining order?

We revised the following five questions on our Wisconsin Restraining Orders page to add information about combining a request for different types of injunctions into a single petition if the abuser is the same:

• Am I eligible to file for a domestic abuse injunction?
• Step 1: Get the necessary paperwork.
• Step 3: File the forms at the courthouse.
• What are the steps for getting a child abuse restraining order?
• What are the steps for getting a harassment restraining order

We revised two existing questions in our Wisconsin Domestic Abuse Injunctions section to add information about the ability to request a de novo hearing if a judge denies a request for an injunction:

• Step 4: A judge will review your petition.
• I was not granted a domestic abuse injunction. What are my options?

We also created three new related questions on our Wisconsin Restraining Orders page based on this same information about requesting a de novo hearing:

• I was not granted a child abuse restraining order. What are my options?
• I was not granted a harassment restraining order. What are my options?
• I was not granted an individual at risk restraining order. What are my options?

All of these changes were made in English; Spanish coming soon!

We also revised the following two questions on our Wisconsin Restraining Orders page in both English and Spanish to improve clarity for our readers:

• Step 2: Carefully fill out the petition.
• Who is eligible to file for a harassment restraining order? Can a minor file?

On our Wisconsin Crimes page, we added the crime of reckless first degree homicide in English and Spanish.

Finally, we also added three related statutes to our Selected Wisconsin Statutes page.

We updated the contact information for four resources on our Virginia Local Programs page.

We reviewed the Massachusetts Divorce page to improve its readability level. We also added the question What protections can I ask for while the divorce is pending? to provide additional tools for survivors divorcing the abuser and uploaded five new related statutes to our Selected Massachusetts Statutes page. Spanish coming soon!

Based on 2023 legislative changes that created a remedy for abusive litigation, we added the following three questions to our Vermont Divorce, Relief from Abuse Orders, and Sexual Assault or Stalking Protective Orders sections:

1. What can I do if the abuser keeps filing court proceedings against me?
2. At what point in the court process can I request an order to restrict abusive litigation?
3. What happens if the judge issues an order restricting abusive litigation?

In our Vermont Extreme Risk Protection Orders section, we revised the following questions based on 2023 legislative changes that now allow a family or household member to file for an ERPO in addition to the State’s Attorney or Office of the Attorney General:

• Who can file for an extreme risk protection order?
• How do I get an extreme risk protection order?
• How will the judge make a decision?
• Can an extreme risk protection order be renewed?

On our Vermont Suing an Abuser for Money page, we updated the limit for claims in small claims court to $10,000 based on 2023 legislative changes.

We added the crime of aggravated human trafficking to our Vermont Crimes page.

Finally, we added nine related statutes to our Selected Vermont Statutes page.

On our West Virginia Custody page, we created the following seven new questions:

• What is custodial responsibility?
• What is decision-making responsibility?
• What is a parenting plan?
• What are some pros and cons of getting a custody order?
• Should I start a court case to ask for supervised visitation?
• What are the steps to file for custody?
• If the judge makes a custody and visitation order I don’t agree with, what can I do?

We also added two related statutes to our Selected West Virginia Statutes page.

Based on 2023 legislative changes, we did the following in English (Spanish coming soon):

• In our Maryland State Gun Laws, revised 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? to add that a person cannot have a gun if: 
  • s/he has been convicted on or after October 1, 2023 of the crime of child’s access to firearms in either of the following circumstances:
    • it is the second, third, fourth time, etc., that the person has been convicted of this crime; or
    • it is the first time that the person has been convicted of this crime and it resulted in the use of a loaded firearm by a minor causing death or serious bodily injury to the minor or another person;
  • s/he is on supervised probation after being convicted of any of the following:
    • a felony;
    • driving while under the influence or impairment of alcohol or drugs; or
    • violation of a protective order. 
• In our Selected Maryland Statutes page, we added two crimes related to the above edits called ”Driving while under the influence or impairment of alcohol or drugs prohibited” and “Child’s access to firearms.”
• In our Maryland Custody page, revised What is mediation? Is it ordered for victims of abuse? to add coercive control as a reason that a judge might not order mediation.

We translated into Spanish the Alabama Child Support, Custody, and Restraining Orders pages.

Based on 2023 statutory changes, we revised the information on the Puerto Rico Orders of Protection in Favor of a Minor. Among other things, the law now empowers other people who interact with the child to file for a restraining order for them and clarifies that a judge cannot give temporary custody to the Department of Family solely based on this petition. However, the judge will notify the Department of Family so that they can begin their investigation and intervention protocol. English coming soon!

We also added eight related statutes to the Puerto Rico Selected Statutes page.

We created a new New Hampshire Child Support section, including five new questions that provide information about New Hampshire’s child support laws. We also added seven related statutes to our Selected New Hampshire Statues page.

We added the crime called “Criminal liability and penalties for crimes of computer theft, trespass, invasion of privacy, forgery, and password disclosure” to our Georgia Crimes page, in English and Spanish, and to our Selected Georgia Statutes page.

Based on a new statutory section passed in 2023, we added the following questions:

• Can my child’s medical care be covered in a child support case? to our Virginia Child Support page;
• Can I use my child’s medical records as evidence in a custody case? to our Virginia Custody page; and
• Can I submit proof of my medical treatment and costs as part of a request for alimony? to our Virginia Divorce page.

On our Virginia Restraining Orders page, we revised Step 4: The hearing to add the fact that the petitioner can prove family abuse by demonstrating the severity of injuries alleged through the use of medical records.

We also added two related statutes to our Selected Virginia Statutes page.

All changes made in English; Spanish coming soon!

On our U.S. Virgin Islands Restraining Orders page, we revised two questions in our The steps for filing a domestic violence restraining order section to more accurately describe the process and the name of the court where the filing is done.

On our U.S. Virgin Islands State Gun Laws page, we did the following:

• Revised If the abuser has been convicted of a crime, can s/he keep or buy a gun? to clarify what crimes might prevent an abuser from having a gun; and
• Revised I do not have a restraining order against the abuser and s/he has not been convicted of a crime. Can s/he have a gun? to clarify the conditions that may prevent an abuser from having a gun even if they have not been convicted of a crime or the victim does not have a restraining order.

We also added one related statute defining which drugs qualify as controlled substances for the purposes of preventing someone from having a gun to our Selected U.S. Virgin Islands Statutes page.

On our South Dakota State Gun Laws page, we revised What is the definition of a felony? based on 2023 legislative changes that substituted the term “correctional facility” for “penitentiary.”

On our South Dakota Crimes page, we added the crimes of aggravated battery of an infant, removal of child from state, eavesdropping, and window peeking on private property of another. We also added four related statutes to our Selected South Dakota Statutes page.

On our Tennessee Custody page, we revised If the other parent is convicted of a serious crime, can I file to terminate his/her parental rights? to clarify that, based on 2023 legislative changes, a substantially similar crime against a child in another state can now provide a basis for filing to terminate parental rights.

On our Tennessee Restraining Order page, we did the following based on 2023 legislative changes:

• Added financial abuse to What is the legal definition of domestic abuse?, as well as revised what other actions qualify as domestic abuse for the purposes of getting a protection order; and
• Revised What is the legal definition of stalking? to add a single instance of a harasser using an electronic tracking device to the definition of a “course of conduct” that constitutes harassment.

These changes were made in English; Spanish coming soon!

We also added six new crimes related to abuse and stalking to our Tennessee Crimes page in English and Spanish, and we added six related statutes to our Selected Tennessee Statutes page.

On our District of Columbia Child Support page, we added four new questions in English (Spanish coming soon!):

• Is child support retroactive in D.C.?
• How can I get child support if I don’t know where the other parent is?
• How will court-ordered child support be paid?
• What can I do if the other parent is not paying the ordered child support?

We also added three related statutes to our Selected District of Columbia Statutes page.

On our Texas Restraining Orders page, we added two new questions in English (Spanish coming soon!):

• What if I don’t qualify for a family violence protective order?
• I was not granted a family violence protective order. What are my options?

 On our Texas Child Support page, we added four new questions in English (Spanish coming soon!):

• How will the judge calculate child support?
• Can my child support order be changed?
• What can I do if the other parent is not paying the ordered child support?
• Can child support be ordered retroactively in Texas?

We also added six related statutes to our Selected Texas Statutes page.

In our North Dakota Protection Orders page, we added two new questions:

• What if I don’t qualify for a domestic violence protection order?
• I was not granted a domestic violence protection order. What are my options?

We updated a resource SAFE on Main, formerly the Abuse and Rape Crisis Shelter, on our Ohio Local Programs page, in Spanish in English.

In our About Abuse – Information for Teens and Young Adults section, we updated links to the organization Loveisrespect. Changes made in English and Spanish.

We translated into Spanish our Minnesota Download Court Forms page.

We updated the link to parenting plan forms on our Tennessee Download Court Forms page.

Based on 2023 legislative changes, we did the following:

• In our Louisiana Custody section, we revised If my child was conceived as a result of rape, can the offender get any rights to my child? to change the language from proving the offender committed ”felony rape” to a “sex offense.” We also added a related statute to our Selected Louisiana Statutes page.
• In our Louisiana Divorce section, we revised Can I get spousal support? to clarify that the mental health professional who would evaluate whether there was domestic violence must be licensed and that they must have experience in the field, whereas previously the law said that the person had to be “an expert” in the field.

We also revised If the abuser’s gun is taken away, what will happen to it? in our Louisiana State Gun Laws page to add the fact that a judge can order the transfer of firearms and suspension of a concealed handgun permit based on a conviction for ”domestic abuse aggravated assault,” “aggravated assault upon a dating partner,” and any felony “crime of violence” when the victim is a family member, household member, or dating partner. This was based on a 2019 legislative change; we regret the delay in adding this information.

We also added a firearm-related statute and a sexual assault-related statute to our Selected Louisiana Statutes page.

On our U.S. Virgin Islands Crimes page, we added eight new crimes related to domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking. We also added nine related statutes to our Selected U.S. Virgin Islands Statutes page.

We translated into Spanish the following in our Florida Legal Information pages:

• Recent English revisions to How will the judge decide if I am “in immediate danger of becoming a victim of domestic violence?” in our Florida Injunctions for Protection Against Domestic Violence page.
• Recent English revisions to six questions in our Florida State Gun Laws page.

In our Florida Divorce page, we translated into Spanish recent English revisions to What types of alimony are there? and Can I get alimony? What factors will a judge consider? We also translated the question Under what circumstances can an alimony award be modified or terminated?

In our Kansas Divorce page, we created a new question called What types of issues can the judge address while the divorce is pending? in English (Spanish coming soon).

We translated into Spanish recent English revisions to the question How can I recognize the signs of elder abuse? on our Elder Abuse page.

On our Indiana Download Court Forms page, we updated the current links, and added a new link for the forms needed to modify a custody order in English and Spanish.

We translated into Spanish our Kansas State Gun Laws page. Now the Spanish translation of the Kansas Legal Information section is complete! That makes Kansas the 33rd state to be completely translated into Spanish on our website!

We created a new Arizona Child Support section, including five new questions that provide information about the state child support laws. We also added nine related statutes to our Selected Arizona Statutes page. Added in English; Spanish coming soon!

Based on 2023 legislative changes, we did the following:

• In our Indiana Orders for Protection page, we revised What protections can I get in an order for protection? to add the fact that the judge can prohibit the respondent from using a tracking device to determine the location of the victim, his/her family member, or either of their property. (Spanish soon to come!)
• In our Indiana State Gun Laws page, we revised What is the definition of a felony? in English and Spanish to add “strangulation,” “attempted murder,” and “a human or sexual trafficking offense” to the list of crimes that are included in the definition of “serious violent felony.”  

On our Indiana Local Programs page, we translated the resource Hoosier Hills PACT to Spanish. We also updated the resources A Better Way Richmond, formerly Genesis of Richmond, and A Better Way Muncie, in English and Spanish.

We updated the resource She Leads Justice, formerly the Connecticut Women´s Education and Legal Fund (CWEALF), on our Connecticut Legal Assistance page in English and Spanish.

We updated 24 resources and added six new resources on our New Jersey Local Programs page and updated seven resources on our New Jersey Statewide Programs page. All changes made in English and Spanish.

We translated into Spanish the following in our New York Legal Information pages:

• Recent English revisions to What protections do these housing laws offer? in our New York Housing Laws page.
• Recent English revisions to four questions in our New York State Gun Laws page:
  • I am a victim of domestic violence and the abuser has a gun. Is that legal?
  • If the abuser has been convicted of a crime, can s/he legally keep or buy a gun?
  • I do not have an order of protection against the abuser, and s/he has not been convicted of a crime. Can s/he have a gun?

We also added two new questions in English and Spanish, as follows:

• Who is considered a qualified third party? in our New York Housing Laws page; and
• Will the abuser go to jail for having a gun when s/he isn’t supposed to? in our New York State Gun Laws page.

We translated into Spanish the recently updated clarification about visitation and custody when a parent has committed a sexual offense to Can a parent who committed domestic violence or sexual assault get custody or visitation? on our New York Custody page.

In our Hawaii Injunctions Against Harassment page, we revised Step 1: Go to the district court to begin the filing process. and How much does an injunction against harassment cost? Do I need a lawyer? to add the fact that there is a $15 filing fee that can be waived in exceptional circumstances.

We revised the Guam Download Court Forms page, updating the links to order of protection and divorce forms, and adding a link to forms for filing in small claims court. We also updated the link to small claims court forms on the Guam Suing an Abuser for Money page.

Based on 2023 legislative changes, we revised Who can get custody? in our Georgia Custody section to add the fact that if one parent has been criminally indicted for murder or voluntary manslaughter of the other parent, the judge has the option to decide not to give that parent custody. We also added the related statute to our Selected Georgia Statutes page.

Based on 2023 legislative amendments, we did the following in English and Spanish:

• In our D.C. Civil Protection Orders page, revised Can I file for a civil protection order if I am a minor? to add that a person with physical custody can file on behalf of a minor; and
• In our D.C. State Gun Laws page, revised two questions to add that gun possession is now prohibited if the person has a restraining order against him/her that requires the person to stay away from, or have no contact with, any other person or a location.

We translated into Spanish the recent updates on our Maryland Divorce section.

We translated into Spanish the resource Sierra Community House, with three locations, on our California Local Programs page.

We translated into Spanish the resource Communities Overcoming Violent Encounters on our Michigan Local Programs page.

We translated into Spanish the resource Identity Theft Resource Center on our National Organizations Financial Info/Economic Empowerment page.

We translated into Spanish the revised information on the question How will the judge calculate child support? in our Arkansas Child Support section.

We updated the resource on our North Carolina Lawyer Referral Services page in English and Spanish.

We updated the contact information for one resource on our Washington Lawyer Referral Services page.

We updated the contact information for one resource on our Legal Assistance page and for one resource on our Legal Assistance for Abused Immigrants page for Texas.

We updated the contact information for one resource on our Rhode Island Statewide Programs page.

We updated the contact information for one resource on our Local Programs page and for one resource on our Legal Assistance page for Ohio.

We updated the contact information for one resource on our Nevada Legal Assistance page.

We updated the contact information for one resource on our Missouri Legal Assistance page.

We updated the contact information for one resource on our Maryland Local Programs page.

We updated the contact information for one resource on our Hawaii Local Programs page.

We updated the contact information for one resource on our Statewide Programs page and for one resource on our Legal Assistance page for Florida.

We updated the contact information for one resource on our Colorado Local Programs page.

We updated a resource, The Center for Empowerment and Education (formerly the Women’s Center of Greater Danbury), on our Connecticut Local Programs page in English and Spanish.

Based on 2023 legislative amendments, we did the following in English (Spanish coming soon):

• In our Connecticut Risk Protection Orders section, in What is a risk protection order?, we added that the respondent has to be at least 18 and that only one police officer, not two, is now needed to file the petition; however, a second officer has to support the complaint under oath.
• In our Connecticut State Gun Laws page, we revised three questions to include the fact that gun possession is now illegal based on:
  • a conviction for a number of “family violence” misdemeanors committed against a family or household member;
  • a conviction for a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, as defined by federal law; and
  • being a fugitive from justice.

We also added 15 related statutes to our Selected Connecticut Statutes page.  

Lastly, in our Connecticut Suing an Abuser for Money page, we added the fact that there is a $15,000 limit in small claims court for cases that involve a home improvement contract; and in our Connecticut Crimes page, we added 10 new crimes. (Spanish coming soon.)

We added a new resource, The Immigration Center for Women and Children, on our Nevada Legal Assistance page in English and Spanish.

We created a new question in our Arizona Divorce section called Is there any way to do a divorce quickly? In English and Spanish. We also added two related statutes to our Selected Arizona Statutes page.

We updated a resource, Beacon Center (formerly Domestic Abuse Council, Inc.), located in Volusia County, on our Florida Local Programs page in English and Spanish.

In our Washington State Gun Laws page, we revised What is the definition of a felony? in English and Spanish to clarify that a felony is classified as a crime that is punishable by more than one year in prison. Previously, we had an incorrect timeframe due to citing a statute that listed the maximum penalties as opposed to the minimum. We also added the related statute to our Selected Washington Statutes page. We regret the error.

Based on 2022 and 2023 legislative amendments, in our Colorado Custody page we did the following (Spanish coming soon):

• Revised When does someone usually file for allocation of parental responsibilities? to add that a motion can be filed as part of a juvenile court case.
• Created a new question called Can grandparents file for visitation (“family time”)? to explain the two new laws added regarding grandparent visitation. We also added those laws to our Selected Colorado Statutes page.
• Revised What are some advantages and disadvantages of getting an allocation of parental responsibilities order? to change the language about a man signing an acknowledgement of paternity to include the terminology of a non-birthing parent signing an acknowledgement of parentage.

We updated 86 resources and added five new resources on our North Carolina Local Programs page. We also updated two resources and added one new resource on our North Carolina Statewide Programs page. All changes made in English and Spanish.

Based on 2022 and 2023 legislative changes, we did the following :

• In our Florida Custody section, we:
  • Revised I fled to Florida with my children to escape domestic violence. Can I get temporary emergency custody of my child in Florida even if another state is the child’s “home state”? to add the fact that if a child is in Florida due to being subjected to or threatened with “sex-reassignment prescriptions or procedures,” this is a reason to file for emergency custody in Florida.
  • Revised Can grandparents get visitation rights in court? to add the fact that if one parent has been held criminally liable for the death of the other parent or civilly liable for an intentional tort causing the death of the other parent, the judge will grant reasonable visitation for the grandparent who is the parent of the deceased person.
• In our Florida Injunctions for Protection Against Domestic Violence section, we revised How will the judge decide if I am “in immediate danger of becoming a victim of domestic violence?” to add a new factor that a judge must consider, namely whether the respondent has engaged in a pattern of abusive, threatening, intimidating, or controlling behavior that reasonably causes the petitioner to believe that s/he or his/her child are in immediate (imminent) danger of becoming victims of any act of domestic violence.
• We revised our Florida Suing an Abuser for Money page to increase the amount a victim fo sexual cyberharassment can sue for, from $5,000 to $10,000.

Changes made in English; Spanish coming soon.

We added Abduction of Children to our North Carolina Crimes page. Addition made in English and Spanish. We also added the related statute to our Selected North Carolina Statutes page.

Based on 2023 legislative changes, we did the following:

• in our Florida Divorce section:
  • revised What types of alimony are there? to reflect the fact that there is no longer permanent alimony, to change the definitions for short-term, moderate, and long-term marriages, and to make other changes; 
  • revised Can I get alimony? What factors will a judge consider? to reflect the fact that a judge can consider the following as factors when determining alimony, among others:
    • adultery; 
    • whether either party is physically or mentally disabled;
    • income generated from both marital and non-marital assets; and
  • created a new question called Under what circumstances can an alimony award be modified or terminated? to explain how a judge can terminate or reduce alimony if the person receiving support enters into a “supportive relationship” or if the spouse paying alimony retires.
• in our Florida Custody section:
  • revised Can a parent who committed violence get custody (parental responsibility) or visitation (time-sharing)? to list the factors a judge will consider when deciding if there is detriment to a child; 
  • revised If a custody order (parenting plan) is already in place, how can I get it changed? to remove the former requirement that the substantial change of circumstances must be unanticipated; 
  • revised Who can get custody (sole/shared parental responsibility) of a child? to explain the rebuttable presumption for equal time-sharing;
  • revised Can I get financial support for my child in a custody order (parenting plan)? to add information about supporting a ”dependent adult child” and a child who is between 18 and 19 and still in high school. We also added three related statutes to our Selected Florida Statutes page.

 Changes made in English; Spanish coming soon.