What’s New on WomensLaw.org

In Colorado, we translated into Spanish the updated definition of “unlawful sexual behavior” in What is the legal definition of sexual assault? question.

We translated into Spanish the information about when attorney’s fees can be awarded to What protections can I get in an injunction for protection against domestic violence? in our Florida Restraining Orders section. 

We translated into Spanish the undated information on the Arizona Step 3: Service of process regarding service of the petition by law enforcement.

We translated into Spanish the changes incorporated in What types of protective orders are available? How long do they last? based on a September 2019 addition to Texas law.

We updated two questions in our North Dakota Restraining Orders section. We also changed a question in our North Dakota Custody section from a grandparent’s custody rights question to Can a nonparent get custody or visitation? based on changes in the law. 

We translated into Spanish the question What is the definition of indecent assault? in our Texas Protective Orders for Victims of Sexual Assault, Sexual Abuse, Indecent Assault, Stalking, or Trafficking. 

We added 7 new resources to our Wyoming Legal Assistance page

We translated into Spanish the following information, in our Texas Custody page:

• 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?

Based on an Email Hotline inquiry, we added the crime of extortion to our Tennessee Crimes page.

We added 11 new resources to our Indiana Legal Assistance page in English and Spanish.

Based on a Texas law, we added information to our Suing an Abuser page in English about a victim of nonconsensual image sharing’s ability to sue an abuser in civil court. Spanish translation coming soon!

We added two new resources, Neighbor to Neighbor and University of Tulsa Legal Clinic, to our Oklahoma Legal Assistance page in English and Spanish.

We added a new question to our California Custody page in English called If I report that my child was sexually abused, can that harm my case if the judge or other professionals don’t think it’s true? Spanish coming soon.

We revised the general information on Workplace Restraining Orders (Filed by Employers) in our About Abuse: In the Workplace section. Changes in English and Spanish. 

We added the crime of threatening the noncensensual dissemination of private sexual images to our Missouri Crimes page.

Based on a new Indiana law, we added information to our Suing an Abuser page about a victim of nonconsensual image sharing’s ability to sue an abuser in civil court.

In our Kentucky Finding a Lawyer page, we added five new resources to our Legal Assistance page and organized the whole page by county to make it easier to navigate.

Based on a California law, we added information to our Suing an Abuser page about a victim of nonconsensual image sharing’s ability to sue an abuser in civil court in English. Spanish translation coming soon!

We added a statute to our Selected New Jersey Statutes page regarding the ability of a victim of nonconsensual image sharing to sue in civil court for damages.

We added a statute to our Selected Missouri Statutes page regarding the crime of threatening nonconsensual image sharing.

We added 3 statutes to our Selected Indiana Statutes page regarding the ability of a victim of nonconsensual image sharing to sue in civil court for damages.

We translated into Spanish our completely reviewed T Visa for Trafficking Victims page.

We translated into Spanish all the information on our Abuse in Tribal Communities page.

We translated into Spanish the question entitled “Can an order for protection be changed or ended early?” that 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 on our Nevada Restraining Orders section.

We translated into Spanish our recently added Illinois Firearms Restraining Orders page.

We added seven questions to a New Jersey Extreme Risk Protective Orders page in English. Spanish translation coming soon!

We translated into Spanish the information added to Step 4: Service of process about requesting alternate service if law enforcement cannot serve the abuser at his/her home. We also translated the information in What can I do if the abuser violates the order?

We updated the website, contact information, and descriptions for four organizations in our Arizona Legal Assistance page in English and Spanish.

Because of changes in the law, we updated four questions in our New Mexico State Gun Laws section in English. Spanish coming soon!

In our U Visa for Crime Victims page, we added information in English and Spanish about naturalization after five years to the question Can I get lawful permanent residence (a green card) if my U visa status application is approved? What about citizenship?  

In our New York Parental Kidnapping section, we added information about getting temporary emergency jurisdiction when New York is not the child’s home state to Can I get temporary emergency custody as part of a custody petition? Changes made in English; Spanish soon to come.

We added two Oregon criminal statutes to our Selected State Statutes page, and also added those crimes to our Oregon Crimes page. 

Based on a new Nebraska law, we added information to our Suing an Abuser page about a victim of nonconsensual image sharing’s ability to sue an abuser in civil court.

We added four statutes to our Selected Nebraska Statutes page regarding various forms of assault as well as the crime related to distribution of intimate images.

Based on 2020 clarifications to Nebraska law, we revised Do I need a special copy of my protection order to it enforced? to add that the clerk will give petitioners two free certified copies of their ex parte or final order. This question is found in our Moving to Another State with a Nebraska Protection Order section.

Based on changes to the law, we updated three questions in our Maine Know the Laws section, in English. We updated What protections can I get in a protection from abuse order? and Under what circumstances would I need to request that law enforcement issue a notice to stop the harassment before applying for an order? in the Restraining Orders section. We also updated How does this housing law protect me? in the Housing Laws section.

In our VAWA for Abuse Victims section, we added a new question entitled Once I have permanent residency, when can I apply for my citizenship? in English and Spanish.

We updated all four resources on our Colorado Statewide Programs page in English and Spanish.

We created a new question called Can I extend my protection order? in our Nebraska Sexual Assault Protection Orders page.

Based on changes that took effect January 2020, we updated the question called “What happens when I apply for a harassment protection order?” in our Nebraska Harassment Protection Orders section and Sexual Assault Protection Orders section.  In our Domestic Violence Protection Orders section, we did the following: 1) updated Can I extend my protection order? to increase the filing period from 30 days to 45 days; 2) added information on what petitioners must include in their affidavit in Step 1: Go to court and file a petition; and 3) updated What types of protection orders are there? How long do they last? to reflect the 10-business-days period in which the abuser has to request a hearing and other changes to the law.

We added a new question called What types of injunctions related to abuse and harassment can a judge issue in a divorce case? to our Louisiana Divorce section. 

We created a new section in our Tennessee Restraining Orders section called Orders of Protection for Elderly or Vulnerable Adults with 11 new questions.

Based on updates to the law, we completely re-wrote our New York Housing Laws page, which includes 7 questions about the protections for victims of domestic violence who need to break a lease early. Spanish translation coming soon!

We added the crimes of rape in the first and second degrees to our Missouri Crimes page.

In our South Carolina Custody page, we added a new question called What types of supervised visitation can the judge order?

In Nevada, we added one statute on workplace protections for victims of domestic violence to the Selected Nevada Statutes page.

We created a New Hampshire Custody section! It includes six questions regarding parental rights and responsibilities, how a judge makes a decision, and more.

We added three statutes related to parenting coordinators to our Selected North Carolina Statutes page.

On our North Carolina Download Court Forms page, we added links to the forms for 50-B, 50-C, and 50-D orders in both English and Spanish.

We added the statute for the crime of sexual extortion to our Selected Pennsylvania Statutes page.

Based on 2019 changes to Pennsylvania law, we added information in English and Spanish to Can I extend my protection from abuse order? about how being incarcerated affects extending a protection from abuse order. 

We added six statutes regarding extreme risk protection orders to our Selected New Jersey Statutes page in preparation for a soon-to-be-added section about extreme risk protection orders!

We added a statute related to human trafficking to our Selected Montana Statutes page.

We updated the website and phone number for the Mississippi Crime Victim Compensation Division on our Mississippi Crimes 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 added four statutes to our Selected Florida Statutes page.

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.

We added 7 Colorado statutes on extreme risk protection orders on our Selected Colorado Statutes page.

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.

We added 24 statutes crimes-related statutes to our Selected Colorado Statutes page in English.

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 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 crimes to our Arizona Crimes page in English; Spanish coming soon.

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 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 the crime of “unlawful dissemination or publication of an intimate image” to our New York Crimes page in English and Spanish.

We updated nine links in our Alabama Legal Information and Places that Help sections. 

We added the crime of “unauthorized dissemination of indecent material” to our Rhode Island Crimes 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 a Hawaii Gun Violence Protective Orders page.

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 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.