Legal Access Newsletter

August 2016
In This Issue
Upcoming Events

Attorney Network Friendraiser
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When:  Sept. 22, 5:30pm- 7:30pm

Where:  McMillan Metro
              7811 Montrose Road, Suite 400 
              Potomac, MD 20854

The  Attorney Network Friendraiser is an opportunity for interested attorneys to learn more about pro bono and low bono opportunities at JCADA.  Please RSVP here.

JCADA 5K: A Run, A Walk, AWARE

When
:  Oct. 9, 8:30am

Where:  Melvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy
              13300 Arctic Avenue
              Rockville, MD 20853

Run or walk with JCADA to promote healthy friendships and help end dating and domestic abuse.  Register here and email event@jcada.org for more information, including how to be a sponsor!   Proceeds from the JCADA 5K support the critical, life-saving services JCADA provides for the Greater Washington community. 

We invite community members of any age to join us! The JCADA 5K Event will feature a morning of family-friendly activities that promote healthy relationships and discussions about empowerment and confidence inspired by AWARE®, JCADA's dating abuse prevention initiative.


Pro Bono Opportunities & Impact
In each newsletter, we will feature the story of a client either (a) in need of legal assistance or (b) someone who was assisted by JCADA's Legal Access program.  If you are available or interested in helping this or other clients, please contact spencer@jcada.org.  

Pro Bono Institute Podcast: Interview with Spencer Cantrell

JCADA's very own Legal Access Coordinator Spencer Cantrell was recently interviewed for a podcast by Reena Glazer of the Pro Bono Institute .    Listen to the recording on youtube  or download it from I-Tunes  to hear how legal services fit into JCADA's larger mission, and the ways YOU make a real impact in client's lives. We could not do this work without the members of this Attorney Network. 

As   Spencer shared in the podcast,  "Helping a survivor of abuse is an opportunity to make an impact that will last for generations."

JCADA by the Numbers-   June - July 2016
Currently Active JCADA Counseling Clients: 103
Legal Access  Meetings with Clients: 28
Legal Access Consultations with Clinicians: 46

Emerging Issues & Training Opportunities
As a part of our Attorney Network, we will provide you with local training opportunities. We encourage all attorneys to participate in trainings designed to provide best practices for working with victims of domestic abuse, and we will notify you as training programs become available.  
Webinar: Consequences of Strangulation

When : Wednesday, September 14, 12pm -1:30pm EST

WhereRegister here.  

Join the Training Institute on Strangulation Prevention for a webinar discussing the long-term health consequences of strangulation, which can follow a survivor for many years after the abuse has ended.  This information can assist you in articulating the ongoing nature of domestic abuse and the impacts that continue even after an abusive relationship has ended.   


Developments in the Law
Supreme Court Rules Misdemeanor Domestic Violence convictions sufficient to remove guns 
 
 The Supreme Court ruled in June in 
Voisine v U.S. that a "reckless" domestic violence assault is sufficient to trigger the federal ban on domestic violence perpetrators possessing firearms.  In this case, two men convicted of "reckless" domestic violence challenged their ban to own firearms under the Lautenberg Amendment.  The Supreme Court upheld this ban, a victory for domestic violence survivors and organizations around the country.  

Courtwatch Montgomery report in the Washington Post: " Small Actions, Big Impact"

Courtwatch released another helpful report discussing the many positive steps judges take to promote safety in their courtrooms.  This report also highlights the positive things that interpreters, bailiffs, and clerks can do to assist and inform survivors.  Some examples include:
  • ordering visitation schedules that minimize contact between an offender and survivor; 
  • ensuring offenders surrender their firearms as required by law; and
  • ordering staggered exits so the offender and survivor do not exit court at the same time.
The Washington Post Editorial Board recently highlighted the report and powerful work being accomplished by Courtwatch Montgomery.  


PO Box 2266
Rockville, MD 20847