One of the first to come through our doors was an elderly woman in a wheelchair. Battered and bruised, she was blind in one eye from a domestic violence incident many years ago and unable to read with the other eye due to a recent brain surgery. She could not afford an attorney and could not sit through one of the Court restraining order workshops due to her inability to read and follow along. Without the FJC's assistance, she would still be unprotected and vulnerable. Thankfully, our team was able to give her individualized attention throughout the 3-hour, 45-page restraining order application process. Her restraining order was granted and, before she rolled away, she hugged every person.

A frightened, very slight, vulnerable teenager found her way to us. She, too, had been beaten. Her abuser had stolen her phone, her purse, her clothes, and everything she owned. She literally had nothing but the clothes on her back. One of our staff spent hours listening, reassuring her and, when she was ready, spent the next several hours filling out the temporary restraining order application. Before she left, the team made sure she had a safety plan in place.

A dapper 70-year old gentleman came in by himself, looking very forlorn. He was seeking an elder abuse temporary restraining order against his daughter, which was the last thing he wanted to do. She suffered from mental illness and did quite well as long as she was taking her medications but, as so often happens, when she felt better she thought she didn't need to continue with her prescriptions. She became very violent, walking around the house threatening him and his wife with knives and a hammer. Though heartbroken, he felt he had no choice but to seek protection.