Court Advocacy
compassionately
Championing Victims' Rights in Court
The legal system can often be intimidating and complex for victims to navigate. This can lead to victims avoiding engaging with it altogether, potentially leaving them without access to justice, protection, or critical resources. Victims might even miss out on opportunities for restitution or protective orders that keep them safe.
That’s why we partner with the Municipal Court of Atlanta to assist victims of crime whose cases are assigned to it. Our advocates work onsite at the courthouse:
- Providing needs assessments for victims and witnesses.
- Notifying victims of scheduled court appearances.
- Working with them to resolve issues and remove barriers that might prevent them from appearing in court.
- And, often attending court alongside victims.
COURT ADVOCACY
By The Numbers
domestic violence survivors served last year
victims of identity theft and fraud served last year
Empowering Your Path Forward
Court Advocates Provide
Direct services to domestic violence survivors
Advocates review police reports and court cases to identify signs that the situation may have been related to domestic violence, dating violence, or sexual assault. The advocates reach out to potential victims to explain the criminal justice system process that their case will go through and offer access to services and resources. Services include:
- Safety planning
- Referrals to other shelter, legal, and economic resources
- Advocacy for medical, civil, or criminal justice issues
- Crisis intervention
- Education about the criminal justice system and process
- Referrals to culturally specific and population-specific services
Survivors of domestic violence often seek Temporary Protective Orders (TPOs) as an important legal step to help protect themselves and their children from further abuse. However, the process can be overwhelming, time-consuming, and confusing, leading to incomplete applications or delays that may prevent survivors from obtaining the protections they need.
With assistance from the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation (AVLF), our court advocates are trained to help survivors complete and expedite TPO requests. By guiding survivors through the legal process, advocates help reduce barriers, strengthen applications, and connect survivors with the resources and support they need as they pursue safety and stability.
Assistance in identity theft
We provide a trained and highly skilled court advocate to assist victims of identity theft and financial fraud.
What is Criminal Identity Theft?
When a criminal fraudulently identifies themselves to police as another individual at the point of arrest, it is referred to as "Criminal Identity Theft." Victims might only learn of such incidents by chance. For example, they may receive a court summons, discover their driver's license is suspended when stopped for minor traffic violations, or fail a background check when performed for employment purposes.
It can be difficult for the victim of criminal identity theft to clear their record. This results in the psychological trauma of being 'cloned' lasting for several months or years.
