U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

Student Representation of Battered Woman: The Yale Law School Temporary Restraining Order Project

NCJ Number
117135
Journal
Journal of the Center for Women Policy Studies Volume: 11 Issue: 4 Dated: (1989) Pages: 3-11
Author(s)
G R Brown; K A Keitel; A E Lundy
Date Published
1988
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This article presents guidelines for establishing a student-managed legal assistance program to obtain restraining orders for battered women, based on the experience of the Yale Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) Project for Battered Women in Connecticut.
Abstract
Established in 1984 to provide free and accessible legal assistance to battered women in the New Haven, Conn., area, the project represents about 40 clients per semester. Its success rate in obtaining restraining orders for clients has been nearly 100 percent. Staffing consists of 37 attorneys and 35 law students. A student is given one credit per semester for representing a client at an ex parte hearing. The Yale TRO Project provides representation for both temporary and full protection orders. The components and structure of the Yale TRO project, which may be replicated in other States, encompass the legal representation of battered women, recruitment and training of students and attorneys, client scheduling, and police involvement. Professional responsibilities are defined, particularly with regard to the attorney's role, confidentiality, court duties, and settlement negotiation. Extra-legal considerations in a TRO Project primarily involve sensitivity issues, such as frustration, cultural and class differences, racism, and sexism. 9 references.

Downloads

No download available

Availability