Emily’s husband was physically and emotionally abusive and the violence was escalating: he had recently tried to choke her in front of their three young daughters, made threats to kill her, and kept a gun hidden from her. Emily and the girls moved to a shelter. Domestic violence victim advocates helped Emily apply for a restraining order, and when her husband challenged the order, they set up a meeting with a legal aid lawyer to assist her in court. Her lawyer helped her prepare and represented her at the hearing. The judge upheld the order, keeping the restraining order in place and providing for safe, supervised parenting time. With the constant fear of violence out of the way, the family feels safer and able to find more stable housing.
