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Internet-Based System Eases Court Preparation for Domestic Violence Victims By Richard Zorza, Vice President, and Joyce Klemperer, Project Director Fund for the City of New York The Domestic Violence Court Preparation System was developed by the Gateways to Access, Equity and Justice Project of the Fund for the City of New York as a model for using the Internet to solve real-life problems. The system was developed in partnership with domestic violence advocates, legal services programs and courts in several states, and was funded by the State Justice Institute, the New York State Violence Against Women Act STOP grant pool, and the Open Society Institute. Tested and used by domestic violence programs in Georgia and New York, it is now available to programs in New York that provide domestic violence counseling, advocacy and safety planning. How the System Works The system uses Internet technology to assist domestic violence victims seeking, or considering whether to seek, an order of protection. Users require a computer in a secure and supportive location to access the software. The screens the user sees are easy to use, and take the petitioner through a series of questions which check eligibility for a civil protective order. In each case the screen gives a list of possible options; if the user checks any of them, she is passed on to the next step in the program. If the victim does not qualify for a civil protective order, the software automatically offers information on alternatives such as initiating a criminal prosecution. Once eligibility and grounds are established, the software collects information for the petition. Finally, the victim is given a checklist of possible conditions she can request. These vary from state to state, but include financial remedies if permitted under state law, as well as a wide range of traditional protective terms. Absolute System Security Security is a major concern because of the potential risk of a victim's address or identity being discovered by the batterer. From day one, the system has been programmed and designed to prevent this from happening. In fact, the user can choose not to save any information at all. If the user does wish to save a set of papers in the course of preparation, she may do so. However, the program never keeps address information or any identifying information on any computer, anywhere. How the System's Output Is Used Once the online questionnaire is complete, the computer automatically assembles and prints out all the legal papers that the victim needs for a protective order. These papers are fully customized, with all the information entered by the victim or advocate expressed in the correct legal format for the particular court where the papers will be filed. The user sees the documents on the screen before they're printed and can click or touch any information to change or correct it. In New York City, victims who arrive at Family Court with petitions prepared by this system will have access to an expedited filing process -- the clerks only have to formally docket the case and need to do much less paperwork. Victims spend less time in public areas of the court, reducing their exposure to risk. Context and Follow-up For a demonstration of the system, visit http://www.fcny.org/nydvdemo for New York and http://www.fcny.org/gadvdemo for Georgia. Other problem-solving systems developed by the Gateways Project include an Internet-based system for application for vocational rehabilitation services, the TRAIN Internet database of training and social service programs, and -- now in the testing phase -- a Housing Court Preparation system. For more information and access to the domestic violence software, contact Richard Zorza or Joyce Klemperer at the Fund for the City of New York, 121 Sixth Ave., New York NY 10013. Telephone (212) 925-6675. E-mail rzorza@fcny.org or jklemperer@fcny.org. |
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