The FJC Legal Network (FJCLN) is an exciting, innovative pilot program developed by the National Family Justice Center Alliance (NFJCA) and designed to provide comprehensive, wraparound legal services to victims of domestic violence at the nationally recognized San Diego Family Justice Center (www.sandiegofjc.org).  The FJCLN (www.fjclegalnetwork.org) provides comprehensive legal services to all walk-in clients at the San Diego Family Justice Center, with a particular focus on their first court request for protection from abuse, and coordinates the legal services of four agencies within the San Diego Family Justice Center – The YWCA of San Diego County; the Center for Community Solutions; the San Diego Volunteer Lawyer’s Program; and the NFJCA Legal Team.  The coordination team from the NFJCA (www.familyjusticecenter.org)  is staffed by two full-time attorney, an advocate, and a team of volunteer domestic violence survivors from the NFJCA VOICES Committee (www.nfjcavoices.org).  The FJCLN utilizes legal interns from local law schools as a means of developing the program’s capacity without expanding its budget.  Staff, interns, and advocates are also trained and certified to conduct risk assessments and provide safety planning services for each client. The FJCLN serves victims of domestic violence, helping them to file Temporary Restraining Orders (TRO) and offering court support /accompaniment and representation. The coordination of all legal services with the social, medical and criminal justice services offered at the FJC provides true wraparound services for victims and their children.

The FJCLN clients are in a vulnerable position.  In addition to fearing for their safety and frequently that of their children, they are often intimidated by the court system, of which they have little to no understanding.  Once screening and conflict checks are performed, clients are guided through the process of filing a TRO, receiving other needed legal advice, or obtaining other legal services including U-VISA or immigration related needs.  If they seek a TRO, the application is filed with the court electronically allowing clients to obtain legal protection from the security of the San Diego Family Justice Center without ever going to court.  Research has confirmed that the success of a victim’s first effort to obtain legal protection determines whether they will obtain other services in the future and whether they will return to their abuser because they perceive the system as failed them (Shannon, Logan, Cole, & Medley, 2006).

With the client’s consent, each TRO request to the FJCLN is coordinated with the San Diego Police Department’s Domestic Violence Unit, which is co-located with the FJCLN.  Co-location with the Police Department enables FJCLN staff and interns to quickly obtain police reports, evidence, and corroborate the statements of victims and witnesses.  The FJCLN is a replicatable national model of collaboration being promoted by the NFJCA.

Prior to the FJCLN, legal services were minimal and generally required the victim to go to court and appear alone before a judge without representation or advocacy.  Today, victims can receive all needed services at the FJC, have a lawyer in each case, and an advocate accompanying them to court.  In less than a year, the FJCLN has created a client intake process, developed a filing system, published a step-by-step legal services guide, created a client orientation workshop, recruited over 25 law student/interns to work with victims, and created a webcast training for all future staff and volunteer attorneys, survivors, advocates, and legal interns.  The FJCLN has served over 600 clients in nine months.  Most significantly, there have been no homicides with FJC clients since the FJCLN began operating.