Email Us: info@child-justice.org
Frequently Asked Questions
Request Legal Assistance
We have compiled a list of frequently asked questions that typically come up as people are considering applying for legal assistance from Child Justice. If you have questions that are not answered here, please contact us by email at info@child-justice.org.
Child Justice provides a range of legal services, including, but not limited to:
- Information and referral
- Brief advice
- Legal consultation and/or legal form assistance
- Technical assistance to your attorney
- Pro Bono placement with a private law firm
- Limited scope representation
- Full scope representation
We have a small legal staff and the cases that we take are generally very complex. Therefore, Child Justice is not able to provide full scope representation for all non-offending protective parents who reach out to us for help. We will do our best to provide useful information, referrals or other assistance when we are unable to take on a case in-house.
- Petitions for Protection
- Temporary or Final Protective Orders
- Prior Protective Orders issued against opposing party or individual seeking assistance
- Judgment of Absolute Divorce
- Custody Orders (original, modifications)
- Reports by Child Protective Services, Police, Pediatricians
- Criminal Histories
- Mental Health or Custody Evaluations
- Medical Records
- Photos of Injuries
- Emails, Text Messages or Social Media posts relevant to the issues in the case
IMPORTANT NOTE: DO NOT SUBMIT ANY MATERIALS THAT ARE CONFIDENTIAL OR ANY AUDIO RECORDINGS.
Child Justice is a non-profit legal services provider. We rely on private donations and public grant-funding to provide our services. We do not charge for our legal services, but clients of Child Justice may need to pay for certain court costs, fees or litigation costs during the course of our representation.
Child Justice handles a variety of case types, but we focus our assistance on family law matters where documented child abuse, neglect or interpersonal violence is present. Most of our cases tend to be child custody modification and protective order cases. Cases accepted for full scope representation by Child Justice often include allegations of child abuse, interpersonal violence, substance abuse by a caregiver, or a combination of such allegations. Sometimes we will also handle related cases for our clients such as contract disputes, landlord-tenant claims, guardianship, criminal matters and appeals.
While Child Justice does not have any strict income eligibility requirements at this time, we do assess an individual’s income as part of our intake process. Please note that we receive grant funding to provide our legal services and we will abide by any income eligibility requirements mandated by our funders.
Child Justice receives a high volume of requests for legal assistance from protective parents. We simply do not have the capacity to provide full representation to all deserving individuals who seek our help. Child Justice is not an attorney for an individual, and will take no legal actions on an individual’s behalf, until an executed Letter of Engagement (or Retainer Agreement) has been countersigned by Child Justice.
Individuals are responsible for continuing to seek legal assistance from other legal services providers or the private bar pending a decision by Child Justice about what services we may be able to provide. Further, individuals must continue to take all required actions related to a pending legal case. Such actions might include, but are not limited to:
- Filing a notice of appeal of a court decision
- Filing exceptions to a report and recommendations of a family law magistrate
- Filing or responding to motions
- Submitting documents requested by a court
Time requirements and deadlines are case specific. It is important to check with court personnel to determine the time standards or deadlines in any particular case.
The easiest way to obtain legal help from Child Justice is to complete our online intake process. This includes submitting a brief Web Form with basic demographic information about the person seeking help, the opposing party, and the circumstances relating to child abuse or interpersonal violence. After the Web Form has been reviewed, Child Justice may ask individuals to complete an Intake Form, including a detailed narrative about the legal case. Individuals will be requested to provide all documentary evidence of the alleged abuse as well as court or legal documents related to their case. Notarization of the Intake Form is required for all case types other the protective order cases.
The Child Justice Intake Team meets on a weekly basis to review requests for legal assistance. We will follow up with further requests for information or to schedule an assessment call if we think your case fits within our case priorities. We expedite the review process in protective order cases. However, Child Justice must have a completed Intake Form and relevant documents to consider your case for legal services – especially full scope representation.
As a general matter, Child Justice is limited to serving individuals who reside in Maryland. We provide legal services and representation throughout the state. We do try to provide referrals for out-of-state contacts and will occasionally engage in appellate work, e.g., as amici curiae, in appropriate cases.
We recommend that you review our Resource pages for further information or assistance. Some of the most helpful resources are listed below.
Maryland Courts Self-Help Centers
https://mdcourts.gov/html/selfhelpcenters/map.html
https://www.courts.state.md.us/reference/familyvideolibrary
Phone:Â 410-260-1392
People’s Law Library of Maryland
Maryland Court of Special Appeals
Maryland Legal Aid Bureau
Maryland Volunteer Legal Services
Maryland State Bar Association
Women’s Law Center of Maryland
Sexual Assault Legal Institute
Phone: 301-565-2277
https://mcasa.org/survivors/sali
Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence
Frequently Asked Questions
Have questions about the cases Child Justice accepts? Wondering if your case fits our requirements? See our FAQs!
We have compiled a list of frequently asked questions that typically come up as people are considering applying for legal assistance from Child Justice. If you have questions that are not answered here, please contact us by email at info@child-justice.org.
Request Legal Assistance
Child Justice provides a range of legal services, including, but not limited to:
- Information and referral
- Brief advice
- Legal consultation and/or legal form assistance
- Technical assistance to your attorney
- Pro Bono placement with a private law firm
- Limited scope representation
- Full scope representation
We have a small legal staff and the cases that we take are generally very complex. Therefore, Child Justice is not able to provide full scope representation for all non-offending protective parents who reach out to us for help. We will do our best to provide useful information, referrals or other assistance when we are unable to take on a case in-house.
Child Justice handles a variety of case types, but we focus our assistance on family law matters where documented child abuse, neglect or interpersonal violence is present. Most of our cases tend to be child custody modification and protective order cases. Cases accepted for full scope representation by Child Justice often include allegations of child abuse, interpersonal violence, substance abuse by a caregiver, or a combination of such allegations. Sometimes we will also handle related cases for our clients such as contract disputes, landlord-tenant claims, guardianship, criminal matters and appeals.
The easiest way to obtain legal help from Child Justice is to complete our online intake process. This includes submitting a brief Web Form with basic demographic information about the person seeking help, the opposing party, and the circumstances relating to child abuse or interpersonal violence. After the Web Form has been reviewed, Child Justice may ask individuals to complete an Intake Form, including a detailed narrative about the legal case. Individuals will be requested to provide all documentary evidence of the alleged abuse as well as court or legal documents related to their case. Notarization of the Intake Form is required for all case types other the protective order cases.
The Child Justice Intake Team meets on a weekly basis to review requests for legal assistance. We will follow up with further requests for information or to schedule an assessment call if we think your case fits within our case priorities. We expedite the review process in protective order cases. However, Child Justice must have a completed Intake Form and relevant documents to consider your case for legal services – especially full scope representation.
- Petitions for Protection
- Temporary or Final Protective Orders
- Prior Protective Orders issued against opposing party or individual seeking assistance
- Judgment of Absolute Divorce
- Custody Orders (original, modifications)
- Reports by Child Protective Services, Police, Pediatricians
- Criminal Histories
- Mental Health or Custody Evaluations
- Medical Records
- Photos of Injuries
- Emails, Text Messages or Social Media posts relevant to the issues in the case
IMPORTANT NOTE: DO NOT SUBMIT ANY MATERIALS THAT ARE CONFIDENTIAL OR ANY AUDIO RECORDINGS.
While Child Justice does not have any strict income eligibility requirements at this time, we do assess an individual’s income as part of our intake process. Please note that we receive grant funding to provide our legal services and we will abide by any income eligibility requirements mandated by our funders.
As a general matter, Child Justice is limited to serving individuals who reside in Maryland. We provide legal services and representation throughout the state. We do try to provide referrals for out-of-state contacts and will occasionally engage in appellate work, e.g., as amici curiae, in appropriate cases.
Child Justice is a non-profit legal services provider. We rely on private donations and public grant-funding to provide our services. We do not charge for our legal services, but clients of Child Justice may need to pay for certain court costs, fees or litigation costs during the course of our representation.
Child Justice receives a high volume of requests for legal assistance from protective parents. We simply do not have the capacity to provide full representation to all deserving individuals who seek our help. Child Justice is not an attorney for an individual, and will take no legal actions on an individual’s behalf, until an executed Letter of Engagement (or Retainer Agreement) has been countersigned by Child Justice.
Individuals are responsible for continuing to seek legal assistance from other legal services providers or the private bar pending a decision by Child Justice about what services we may be able to provide. Further, individuals must continue to take all required actions related to a pending legal case. Such actions might include, but are not limited to:
- Filing a notice of appeal of a court decision
- Filing exceptions to a report and recommendations of a family law magistrate
- Filing or responding to motions
- Submitting documents requested by a court
Time requirements and deadlines are case specific. It is important to check with court personnel to determine the time standards or deadlines in any particular case.
We recommend that you review our Resource pages for further information or assistance. Some of the most helpful resources are listed below.
Maryland Courts Self-Help Centers
https://mdcourts.gov/html/selfhelpcenters/map.html
https://www.courts.state.md.us/reference/familyvideolibrary
Phone:Â 410-260-1392
People’s Law Library of Maryland
Maryland Court of Special Appeals
Maryland Legal Aid Bureau
Maryland Volunteer Legal Services
Maryland State Bar Association
Women’s Law Center of Maryland
Sexual Assault Legal Institute
Phone: 301-565-2277
https://mcasa.org/survivors/sali
Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence
Frequently Asked Questions
Have questions about the cases Child Justice accepts? Wondering if your case fits our requirements? See our FAQs!
We have compiled a list of frequently asked questions that typically come up as people are considering applying for legal assistance from Child Justice. If you have questions that are not answered here, please contact us by email at info@child-justice.org.
Request Legal Assistance
Child Justice provides a range of legal services, including, but not limited to:
- Information and referral
- Brief advice
- Legal consultation and/or legal form assistance
- Technical assistance to your attorney
- Pro Bono placement with a private law firm
- Limited scope representation
- Full scope representation
We have a small legal staff and the cases that we take are generally very complex. Therefore, Child Justice is not able to provide full scope representation for all non-offending protective parents who reach out to us for help. We will do our best to provide useful information, referrals or other assistance when we are unable to take on a case in-house.
Child Justice handles a variety of case types, but we focus our assistance on family law matters where documented child abuse, neglect or interpersonal violence is present. Most of our cases tend to be child custody modification and protective order cases. Cases accepted for full scope representation by Child Justice often include allegations of child abuse, interpersonal violence, substance abuse by a caregiver, or a combination of such allegations. Sometimes we will also handle related cases for our clients such as contract disputes, landlord-tenant claims, guardianship, criminal matters and appeals.
The easiest way to obtain legal help from Child Justice is to complete our online intake process. This includes submitting a brief Web Form with basic demographic information about the person seeking help, the opposing party, and the circumstances relating to child abuse or interpersonal violence. After the Web Form has been reviewed, Child Justice may ask individuals to complete an Intake Form, including a detailed narrative about the legal case. Individuals will be requested to provide all documentary evidence of the alleged abuse as well as court or legal documents related to their case. Notarization of the Intake Form is required for all case types other the protective order cases.
The Child Justice Intake Team meets on a weekly basis to review requests for legal assistance. We will follow up with further requests for information or to schedule an assessment call if we think your case fits within our case priorities. We expedite the review process in protective order cases. However, Child Justice must have a completed Intake Form and relevant documents to consider your case for legal services – especially full scope representation.
- Petitions for Protection
- Temporary or Final Protective Orders
- Prior Protective Orders issued against opposing party or individual seeking assistance
- Judgment of Absolute Divorce
- Custody Orders (original, modifications)
- Reports by Child Protective Services, Police, Pediatricians
- Criminal Histories
- Mental Health or Custody Evaluations
- Medical Records
- Photos of Injuries
- Emails, Text Messages or Social Media posts relevant to the issues in the case
IMPORTANT NOTE: DO NOT SUBMIT ANY MATERIALS THAT ARE CONFIDENTIAL OR ANY AUDIO RECORDINGS.
While Child Justice does not have any strict income eligibility requirements at this time, we do assess an individual’s income as part of our intake process. Please note that we receive grant funding to provide our legal services and we will abide by any income eligibility requirements mandated by our funders.
As a general matter, Child Justice is limited to serving individuals who reside in Maryland. We provide legal services and representation throughout the state. We do try to provide referrals for out-of-state contacts and will occasionally engage in appellate work, e.g., as amici curiae, in appropriate cases.
Child Justice is a non-profit legal services provider. We rely on private donations and public grant-funding to provide our services. We do not charge for our legal services, but clients of Child Justice may need to pay for certain court costs, fees or litigation costs during the course of our representation.
Child Justice receives a high volume of requests for legal assistance from protective parents. We simply do not have the capacity to provide full representation to all deserving individuals who seek our help. Child Justice is not an attorney for an individual, and will take no legal actions on an individual’s behalf, until an executed Letter of Engagement (or Retainer Agreement) has been countersigned by Child Justice.
Individuals are responsible for continuing to seek legal assistance from other legal services providers or the private bar pending a decision by Child Justice about what services we may be able to provide. Further, individuals must continue to take all required actions related to a pending legal case. Such actions might include, but are not limited to:
- Filing a notice of appeal of a court decision
- Filing exceptions to a report and recommendations of a family law magistrate
- Filing or responding to motions
- Submitting documents requested by a court
Time requirements and deadlines are case specific. It is important to check with court personnel to determine the time standards or deadlines in any particular case.
We recommend that you review our Resource pages for further information or assistance. Some of the most helpful resources are listed below.
Maryland Courts Self-Help Centers
https://mdcourts.gov/html/selfhelpcenters/map.html
https://www.courts.state.md.us/reference/familyvideolibrary
Phone:Â 410-260-1392
People’s Law Library of Maryland
Maryland Court of Special Appeals
Maryland Legal Aid Bureau
Maryland Volunteer Legal Services
Maryland State Bar Association
Women’s Law Center of Maryland
Sexual Assault Legal Institute
Phone: 301-565-2277
https://mcasa.org/survivors/sali
Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence
Frequently Asked Questions
Have questions about the cases Child Justice accepts? Wondering if your case fits our requirements? See our FAQs!
We have compiled a list of frequently asked questions that typically come up as people are considering applying for legal assistance from Child Justice. If you have questions that are not answered here, please contact us by email at info@child-justice.org.
Request Legal Assistance
Child Justice provides a range of legal services, including, but not limited to:
- Information and referral
- Brief advice
- Legal consultation and/or legal form assistance
- Technical assistance to your attorney
- Pro Bono placement with a private law firm
- Limited scope representation
- Full scope representation
We have a small legal staff and the cases that we take are generally very complex. Therefore, Child Justice is not able to provide full scope representation for all non-offending protective parents who reach out to us for help. We will do our best to provide useful information, referrals or other assistance when we are unable to take on a case in-house.
Child Justice handles a variety of case types, but we focus our assistance on family law matters where documented child abuse, neglect or interpersonal violence is present. Most of our cases tend to be child custody modification and protective order cases. Cases accepted for full scope representation by Child Justice often include allegations of child abuse, interpersonal violence, substance abuse by a caregiver, or a combination of such allegations. Sometimes we will also handle related cases for our clients such as contract disputes, landlord-tenant claims, guardianship, criminal matters and appeals.
The easiest way to obtain legal help from Child Justice is to complete our online intake process. This includes submitting a brief Web Form with basic demographic information about the person seeking help, the opposing party, and the circumstances relating to child abuse or interpersonal violence. After the Web Form has been reviewed, Child Justice may ask individuals to complete an Intake Form, including a detailed narrative about the legal case. Individuals will be requested to provide all documentary evidence of the alleged abuse as well as court or legal documents related to their case. Notarization of the Intake Form is required for all case types other the protective order cases.
The Child Justice Intake Team meets on a weekly basis to review requests for legal assistance. We will follow up with further requests for information or to schedule an assessment call if we think your case fits within our case priorities. We expedite the review process in protective order cases. However, Child Justice must have a completed Intake Form and relevant documents to consider your case for legal services – especially full scope representation.
- Petitions for Protection
- Temporary or Final Protective Orders
- Prior Protective Orders issued against opposing party or individual seeking assistance
- Judgment of Absolute Divorce
- Custody Orders (original, modifications)
- Reports by Child Protective Services, Police, Pediatricians
- Criminal Histories
- Mental Health or Custody Evaluations
- Medical Records
- Photos of Injuries
- Emails, Text Messages or Social Media posts relevant to the issues in the case
IMPORTANT NOTE: DO NOT SUBMIT ANY MATERIALS THAT ARE CONFIDENTIAL OR ANY AUDIO RECORDINGS.
While Child Justice does not have any strict income eligibility requirements at this time, we do assess an individual’s income as part of our intake process. Please note that we receive grant funding to provide our legal services and we will abide by any income eligibility requirements mandated by our funders.
As a general matter, Child Justice is limited to serving individuals who reside in Maryland. We provide legal services and representation throughout the state. We do try to provide referrals for out-of-state contacts and will occasionally engage in appellate work, e.g., as amici curiae, in appropriate cases.
Child Justice is a non-profit legal services provider. We rely on private donations and public grant-funding to provide our services. We do not charge for our legal services, but clients of Child Justice may need to pay for certain court costs, fees or litigation costs during the course of our representation.
Child Justice receives a high volume of requests for legal assistance from protective parents. We simply do not have the capacity to provide full representation to all deserving individuals who seek our help. Child Justice is not an attorney for an individual, and will take no legal actions on an individual’s behalf, until an executed Letter of Engagement (or Retainer Agreement) has been countersigned by Child Justice.
Individuals are responsible for continuing to seek legal assistance from other legal services providers or the private bar pending a decision by Child Justice about what services we may be able to provide. Further, individuals must continue to take all required actions related to a pending legal case. Such actions might include, but are not limited to:
- Filing a notice of appeal of a court decision
- Filing exceptions to a report and recommendations of a family law magistrate
- Filing or responding to motions
- Submitting documents requested by a court
Time requirements and deadlines are case specific. It is important to check with court personnel to determine the time standards or deadlines in any particular case.
We recommend that you review our Resource pages for further information or assistance. Some of the most helpful resources are listed below.
Maryland Courts Self-Help Centers
https://mdcourts.gov/html/selfhelpcenters/map.html
https://www.courts.state.md.us/reference/familyvideolibrary
Phone:Â 410-260-1392
People’s Law Library of Maryland
Maryland Court of Special Appeals
Maryland Legal Aid Bureau
Maryland Volunteer Legal Services
Maryland State Bar Association
Women’s Law Center of Maryland
Sexual Assault Legal Institute
Phone: 301-565-2277
https://mcasa.org/survivors/sali
Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence
Our Resources
Each year, family courts sentence 58,000 children to live with parents who are abusive, negligent or predatory. Hundreds of times a year, a child’s life ends at the hands of an abusive parent, an entirely preventable tragedy. Far too often this happens because our legal system, for a variety of reasons, isn’t equipped to identify, understand and adjudicate cases where domestic violence and child abuse are present. Child Justice works with protective mothers, protective fathers, and their children to prevent these tragedies. Our number one priority is the safety of children.
Below are a few stories from the families Child Justice has helped. To protect the identity of our clients, names and/or details of their cases may have been changed.
Jane's Children
"Lou' was verbally and physically abusive to his four children. After he separated from his children’s mother, “Jane,” they were understandably resistant to seeing him. But Lou was persistent—and so was his attorney. Lou’s attorney persuaded a judge to switch custody to him, then sent the children off to a “deprogramming” center in California. There, the center’s staff used various methods to pressure the children into believing that they had nothing to fear from their dad. The children remained strong in their support for their mother, but because Jane had no attorney and no money for an attorney, Lou retained custody. Child Justice found pro bono counsel for Jane, who successfully fought to win the children back. Today, Lou continues to harass and abuse his ex-wife in the courts by filing unnecessary motions. Meanwhile, Child Justice keeps watch over this dangerous situation while grateful in the knowledge that, without our intervention, Jane and Lou’s children would still be in grave mental and physical danger."Sandra's Sons
"Abused as a child, “Sandra” rebounded from one controlling marriage into another, having a child with each. The men presented serious problems: One abused Sandra’s son. Another was a long-time illegal drug user. Then Sandra’s worst nightmare came true: The fathers contacted one another, became friends and resolved to take the children away from her. For a time, they were successful. Then Child Justice intervened, finding Sandra pro bono counsel who helped her regain custody of her youngest son, and establish unsupervised visits with her older son. Sandra has now become an advocate for public policy changes in children’s rights law, frequently lobbying on Capitol Hill. And because abusers rarely stop, Child Justice continues to provide Sandra with emotional support and pro bono counsel for her case"Joshua & Matthew
"Despite a history of domestic violence against his ex-wife, “Amy,” “David” fought for and received custody of the couple’s two sons, “Joshua” and “Matthew.” While the children were in his care, David used a large, heavy barbecue spatula to beat Matthew, then 12 years old, on his buttocks, leaving enormous bruises. Yet Child Protective Services ruled out abuse, and Matthew remained with his father. David once beat Joshua so badly, he fractured his son’s nose and left bruises all over Joshua’s body. This time, David was arrested, charged and tried. But when Dan argued that he was using reasonable corporal punishment, the jury agreed and found him “not guilty.” At this point, Amy contacted Child Justice and was connected with pro bono counsel. Because of the tireless efforts of Child Justice, Amy regained custody of both children. Today, both children are thriving, and Joshua recently started college."Jessie
"Seven-year-old Jessie confided in her mother, Kathy, that the child’s father, Bob, was touching her inappropriately. Jessie recounted several instances where her father had made her undress or feel uncomfortable. Later, relatives and close friends relayed their own concerns about how Paul touched children and stroked their hair. Child Justice connected Kathy with pro bono counsel who fought for a protective order against Bob, and eventually succeeded in securing a ruling that Paul’s visits should be supervised. Luckily, Bob never fought for those visits. Today, all three of Bob and Kathy’s children are happy learners in school, volunteer in Guatemala over the summers, and are developing into strong, confident young people."Jill & James
"Alexis feared her husband Andrew was sexually abusing their daughter, Jill. One night, Jill’s brother James saw their father take his sister into the bathroom and lock the door, while Jill screamed and cried. Andrew’s abuse of James was of the physical kind. James once called the police after Andrew beat him up, but Andrew convinced the police his son was lying, and was never charged. The situation changed after Child Justice got involved. With the help of pro bono counsel, Andrew was only allowed to see the children he abused under supervision. After several months, he told the children he didn’t want to see them anymore and ceased contact. Today, things have changed dramatically for Jill and James, who are honors students at their colleges and young leaders who have begun to speak out against abuse and violence in their communities."Susie
"As a three year old, Susie was terrified of her father. She even indicated to her mother that something had happened to her private parts. Yet when contacted, Child Protective Services ruled out sexual abuse, and Susie’s father maintained visitation rights. Then Susie attended an assembly in which her classmates were told that if anything or anyone made them uncomfortable, they should tell a guidance counselor. Susie found a counselor and confided that her father had been touching her private parts. This time, CPS believed Susie. Susie’s mother, Abigail, successfully filed for and received a permanent restraining order against the father. Despite the father initially winning his appeal, Child Justice’s pro bono counsel fought hard and protected Susie. Today, free from contact with the person who violated and terrified her, Susie has blossomed in every way."
Testimonials
The stories behind the families that we help.
Each year, family courts sentence 58,000 children to live with parents who are abusive, negligent or predatory. Hundreds of times a year, a child’s life ends at the hands of an abusive parent, an entirely preventable tragedy. Far too often this happens because our legal system, for a variety of reasons, isn’t equipped to identify, understand and adjudicate cases where domestic violence and child abuse are present. Child Justice works with protective mothers, protective fathers, and their children to prevent these tragedies. Our number one priority is the safety of children.
Below are a few stories from the families Child Justice has helped. To protect the identity of our clients, names and/or details of their cases may have been changed.
Request Legal Assistance
Jane's Children
"'Lou' was verbally and physically abusive to his four children. After he separated from his children’s mother, “Jane,” they were understandably resistant to seeing him. But Lou was persistent—and so was his attorney. Lou’s attorney persuaded a judge to switch custody to him, then sent the children off to a “deprogramming” center in California. There, the center’s staff used various methods to pressure the children into believing that they had nothing to fear from their dad. The children remained strong in their support for their mother, but because Jane had no attorney and no money for an attorney, Lou retained custody. Child Justice found pro bono counsel for Jane, who successfully fought to win the children back. Today, Lou continues to harass and abuse his ex-wife in the courts by filing unnecessary motions. Meanwhile, Child Justice keeps watch over this dangerous situation while grateful in the knowledge that, without our intervention, Jane and Lou’s children would still be in grave mental and physical danger."Sandra's Sons
"Abused as a child, “Sandra” rebounded from one controlling marriage into another, having a child with each. The men presented serious problems: One abused Sandra’s son. Another was a long-time illegal drug user. Then Sandra’s worst nightmare came true: The fathers contacted one another, became friends and resolved to take the children away from her. For a time, they were successful. Then Child Justice intervened, finding Sandra pro bono counsel who helped her regain custody of her youngest son, and establish unsupervised visits with her older son. Sandra has now become an advocate for public policy changes in children’s rights law, frequently lobbying on Capitol Hill. And because abusers rarely stop, Child Justice continues to provide Sandra with emotional support and pro bono counsel for her case."Joshua & Matthew
"Despite a history of domestic violence against his ex-wife, “Amy,” “David” fought for and received custody of the couple’s two sons, “Joshua” and “Matthew.” While the children were in his care, David used a large, heavy barbecue spatula to beat Matthew, then 12 years old, on his buttocks, leaving enormous bruises. Yet Child Protective Services ruled out abuse, and Matthew remained with his father. David once beat Joshua so badly, he fractured his son’s nose and left bruises all over Joshua’s body. This time, David was arrested, charged and tried. But when Dan argued that he was using reasonable corporal punishment, the jury agreed and found him “not guilty.” At this point, Amy contacted Child Justice and was connected with pro bono counsel. Because of the tireless efforts of Child Justice, Amy regained custody of both children. Today, both children are thriving, and Joshua recently started college."Jessie
"Seven-year-old Jessie confided in her mother, Kathy, that the child’s father, Bob, was touching her inappropriately. Jessie recounted several instances where her father had made her undress or feel uncomfortable. Later, relatives and close friends relayed their own concerns about how Paul touched children and stroked their hair. Child Justice connected Kathy with pro bono counsel who fought for a protective order against Bob, and eventually succeeded in securing a ruling that Paul’s visits should be supervised. Luckily, Bob never fought for those visits. Today, all three of Bob and Kathy’s children are happy learners in school, volunteer in Guatemala over the summers, and are developing into strong, confident young people."Jill & James
"Alexis feared her husband Andrew was sexually abusing their daughter, Jill. One night, Jill’s brother James saw their father take his sister into the bathroom and lock the door, while Jill screamed and cried. Andrew’s abuse of James was of the physical kind. James once called the police after Andrew beat him up, but Andrew convinced the police his son was lying, and was never charged. The situation changed after Child Justice got involved. With the help of pro bono counsel, Andrew was only allowed to see the children he abused under supervision. After several months, he told the children he didn’t want to see them anymore and ceased contact. Today, things have changed dramatically for Jill and James, who are honors students at their colleges and young leaders who have begun to speak out against abuse and violence in their communities."Susie
"As a three year old, Susie was terrified of her father. She even indicated to her mother that something had happened to her private parts. Yet when contacted, Child Protective Services ruled out sexual abuse, and Susie’s father maintained visitation rights. Then Susie attended an assembly in which her classmates were told that if anything or anyone made them uncomfortable, they should tell a guidance counselor. Susie found a counselor and confided that her father had been touching her private parts. This time, CPS believed Susie. Susie’s mother, Abigail, successfully filed for and received a permanent restraining order against the father. Despite the father initially winning his appeal, Child Justice’s pro bono counsel fought hard and protected Susie. Today, free from contact with the person who violated and terrified her, Susie has blossomed in every way."
Testimonials
The stories behind the families we help
Each year, family courts sentence 58,000 children to live with parents who are abusive, negligent or predatory. Hundreds of times a year, a child’s life ends at the hands of an abusive parent, an entirely preventable tragedy. Far too often this happens because our legal system, for a variety of reasons, isn’t equipped to identify, understand and adjudicate cases where domestic violence and child abuse are present. Child Justice works with protective mothers, protective fathers, and their children to prevent these tragedies. Our number one priority is the safety of children.
Below are a few stories from the families Child Justice has helped. To protect the identity of our clients, names and/or details of their cases may have been changed.
Request Legal Assistance
Jane's Children
"'Lou' was verbally and physically abusive to his four children. After he separated from his children’s mother, “Jane,” they were understandably resistant to seeing him. But Lou was persistent—and so was his attorney. Lou’s attorney persuaded a judge to switch custody to him, then sent the children off to a “deprogramming” center in California. There, the center’s staff used various methods to pressure the children into believing that they had nothing to fear from their dad. The children remained strong in their support for their mother, but because Jane had no attorney and no money for an attorney, Lou retained custody. Child Justice found pro bono counsel for Jane, who successfully fought to win the children back. Today, Lou continues to harass and abuse his ex-wife in the courts by filing unnecessary motions. Meanwhile, Child Justice keeps watch over this dangerous situation while grateful in the knowledge that, without our intervention, Jane and Lou’s children would still be in grave mental and physical danger."Sandra's Sons
"Abused as a child, “Sandra” rebounded from one controlling marriage into another, having a child with each. The men presented serious problems: One abused Sandra’s son. Another was a long-time illegal drug user. Then Sandra’s worst nightmare came true: The fathers contacted one another, became friends and resolved to take the children away from her. For a time, they were successful. Then Child Justice intervened, finding Sandra pro bono counsel who helped her regain custody of her youngest son, and establish unsupervised visits with her older son. Sandra has now become an advocate for public policy changes in children’s rights law, frequently lobbying on Capitol Hill. And because abusers rarely stop, Child Justice continues to provide Sandra with emotional support and pro bono counsel for her case."Joshua & Matthew
"Despite a history of domestic violence against his ex-wife, “Amy,” “David” fought for and received custody of the couple’s two sons, “Joshua” and “Matthew.” While the children were in his care, David used a large, heavy barbecue spatula to beat Matthew, then 12 years old, on his buttocks, leaving enormous bruises. Yet Child Protective Services ruled out abuse, and Matthew remained with his father. David once beat Joshua so badly, he fractured his son’s nose and left bruises all over Joshua’s body. This time, David was arrested, charged and tried. But when Dan argued that he was using reasonable corporal punishment, the jury agreed and found him “not guilty.” At this point, Amy contacted Child Justice and was connected with pro bono counsel. Because of the tireless efforts of Child Justice, Amy regained custody of both children. Today, both children are thriving, and Joshua recently started college."Jessie
"Seven-year-old Jessie confided in her mother, Kathy, that the child’s father, Bob, was touching her inappropriately. Jessie recounted several instances where her father had made her undress or feel uncomfortable. Later, relatives and close friends relayed their own concerns about how Paul touched children and stroked their hair. Child Justice connected Kathy with pro bono counsel who fought for a protective order against Bob, and eventually succeeded in securing a ruling that Paul’s visits should be supervised. Luckily, Bob never fought for those visits. Today, all three of Bob and Kathy’s children are happy learners in school, volunteer in Guatemala over the summers, and are developing into strong, confident young people."Jill & James
"Alexis feared her husband Andrew was sexually abusing their daughter, Jill. One night, Jill’s brother James saw their father take his sister into the bathroom and lock the door, while Jill screamed and cried. Andrew’s abuse of James was of the physical kind. James once called the police after Andrew beat him up, but Andrew convinced the police his son was lying, and was never charged. The situation changed after Child Justice got involved. With the help of pro bono counsel, Andrew was only allowed to see the children he abused under supervision. After several months, he told the children he didn’t want to see them anymore and ceased contact. Today, things have changed dramatically for Jill and James, who are honors students at their colleges and young leaders who have begun to speak out against abuse and violence in their communities."Susie
"As a three year old, Susie was terrified of her father. She even indicated to her mother that something had happened to her private parts. Yet when contacted, Child Protective Services ruled out sexual abuse, and Susie’s father maintained visitation rights. Then Susie attended an assembly in which her classmates were told that if anything or anyone made them uncomfortable, they should tell a guidance counselor. Susie found a counselor and confided that her father had been touching her private parts. This time, CPS believed Susie. Susie’s mother, Abigail, successfully filed for and received a permanent restraining order against the father. Despite the father initially winning his appeal, Child Justice’s pro bono counsel fought hard and protected Susie. Today, free from contact with the person who violated and terrified her, Susie has blossomed in every way."
Testimonials
The stories behind the families we help.
Each year, family courts sentence 58,000 children to live with parents who are abusive, negligent or predatory. Hundreds of times a year, a child’s life ends at the hands of an abusive parent, an entirely preventable tragedy. Far too often this happens because our legal system, for a variety of reasons, isn’t equipped to identify, understand and adjudicate cases where domestic violence and child abuse are present. Child Justice works with protective mothers, protective fathers, and their children to prevent these tragedies. Our number one priority is the safety of children.
Below are a few stories from the families Child Justice has helped. To protect the identity of our clients, names and/or details of their cases may have been changed.
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Jane's Children
"'Lou' was verbally and physically abusive to his four children. After he separated from his children’s mother, “Jane,” they were understandably resistant to seeing him. But Lou was persistent—and so was his attorney. Lou’s attorney persuaded a judge to switch custody to him, then sent the children off to a “deprogramming” center in California. There, the center’s staff used various methods to pressure the children into believing that they had nothing to fear from their dad. The children remained strong in their support for their mother, but because Jane had no attorney and no money for an attorney, Lou retained custody. Child Justice found pro bono counsel for Jane, who successfully fought to win the children back. Today, Lou continues to harass and abuse his ex-wife in the courts by filing unnecessary motions. Meanwhile, Child Justice keeps watch over this dangerous situation while grateful in the knowledge that, without our intervention, Jane and Lou’s children would still be in grave mental and physical danger."Sandra's Sons
"Abused as a child, “Sandra” rebounded from one controlling marriage into another, having a child with each. The men presented serious problems: One abused Sandra’s son. Another was a long-time illegal drug user. Then Sandra’s worst nightmare came true: The fathers contacted one another, became friends and resolved to take the children away from her. For a time, they were successful. Then Child Justice intervened, finding Sandra pro bono counsel who helped her regain custody of her youngest son, and establish unsupervised visits with her older son. Sandra has now become an advocate for public policy changes in children’s rights law, frequently lobbying on Capitol Hill. And because abusers rarely stop, Child Justice continues to provide Sandra with emotional support and pro bono counsel for her case."Joshua & Matthew
"Despite a history of domestic violence against his ex-wife, “Amy,” “David” fought for and received custody of the couple’s two sons, “Joshua” and “Matthew.” While the children were in his care, David used a large, heavy barbecue spatula to beat Matthew, then 12 years old, on his buttocks, leaving enormous bruises. Yet Child Protective Services ruled out abuse, and Matthew remained with his father. David once beat Joshua so badly, he fractured his son’s nose and left bruises all over Joshua’s body. This time, David was arrested, charged and tried. But when Dan argued that he was using reasonable corporal punishment, the jury agreed and found him “not guilty.” At this point, Amy contacted Child Justice and was connected with pro bono counsel. Because of the tireless efforts of Child Justice, Amy regained custody of both children. Today, both children are thriving, and Joshua recently started college."Jessie
"Seven-year-old Jessie confided in her mother, Kathy, that the child’s father, Bob, was touching her inappropriately. Jessie recounted several instances where her father had made her undress or feel uncomfortable. Later, relatives and close friends relayed their own concerns about how Paul touched children and stroked their hair. Child Justice connected Kathy with pro bono counsel who fought for a protective order against Bob, and eventually succeeded in securing a ruling that Paul’s visits should be supervised. Luckily, Bob never fought for those visits. Today, all three of Bob and Kathy’s children are happy learners in school, volunteer in Guatemala over the summers, and are developing into strong, confident young people."Jill & James
"Alexis feared her husband Andrew was sexually abusing their daughter, Jill. One night, Jill’s brother James saw their father take his sister into the bathroom and lock the door, while Jill screamed and cried. Andrew’s abuse of James was of the physical kind. James once called the police after Andrew beat him up, but Andrew convinced the police his son was lying, and was never charged. The situation changed after Child Justice got involved. With the help of pro bono counsel, Andrew was only allowed to see the children he abused under supervision. After several months, he told the children he didn’t want to see them anymore and ceased contact. Today, things have changed dramatically for Jill and James, who are honors students at their colleges and young leaders who have begun to speak out against abuse and violence in their communities."Susie
"As a three year old, Susie was terrified of her father. She even indicated to her mother that something had happened to her private parts. Yet when contacted, Child Protective Services ruled out sexual abuse, and Susie’s father maintained visitation rights. Then Susie attended an assembly in which her classmates were told that if anything or anyone made them uncomfortable, they should tell a guidance counselor. Susie found a counselor and confided that her father had been touching her private parts. This time, CPS believed Susie. Susie’s mother, Abigail, successfully filed for and received a permanent restraining order against the father. Despite the father initially winning his appeal, Child Justice’s pro bono counsel fought hard and protected Susie. Today, free from contact with the person who violated and terrified her, Susie has blossomed in every way."
