Our Impact
Our Mission
The Seattle University Family Law Center provides free, direct legal assistance to domestic violence victims seeking help escaping their abuser. We assist them in obtaining a domestic violence protection order. Once a court issues this order, the abuser must leave their shared home, stay away from the victim, return pets or personal property, and even surrender weapons temporarily. This crucial order allows for a safe escape route for the survivor.
How do we do this life saving work?
- Through our online domestic violence protection order petition review clinic, our student volunteers and interns assist survivors in filling out their petitions, developing the strongest and most effective statement possible; we are available on survivor’s terms: 24 hours a day/ 7 days a week across the state, even in rural areas with legal deserts, all year long.
- Through our domestic violence protection order practicum, our third-year law students, under the supervision of a practicing attorney, provide legal representation to survivors in court hearings. Representation is especially crucial when the abuser has legal counsel.
- Through our clinical legal fellow who represents domestic violence survivors in their DV and Family Law cases. Again, providing access on survivor’s terms to ensure safety.
Why Does This Work Matter?
We provide innovative approaches to accessing legal services. The typical approaches to engaging legal help in an office, in a court, or over the phone during business hours do not meet the urgent needs for those experiencing domestic violence.
We use technology to put humans in touch with other humans who can help at the moment the survivor is most in need. The Family Center is committed to providing safe legal advocacy no matter who they are, where they live, or when they reach out.
- Between three and ten million children are exposed to adult domestic violence annually.
- Up to 75% of DV victims are killed or seriously harmed after they leave their abuser.
- Almost half of all crimes committed against people in Washington State are from domestic violence.
- Washington State is in the top ten states for domestic violence rates.
Your Impact
Support and generosity from our community means that we can continue to provide critical legal services at no cost to DV survivors.
Impact by Numbers
- Our student interns and alumni volunteers have helped hundreds of survivors fill out, review and write their strongest petition of a domestic violence protection order. Completing this paperwork and knowing how to ensure it is compelling to a judge is truly life saving for many of the clients we serve.
- Our practicum students have represented and supported thirty survivors through their temporary or emergency DVPO ex parte hearing and DVPO permanent hearing and/or renewal hearing since the Family Law Center was founded in 2022.
- Our practicum students have represented and supported twenty-five survivors in receiving temporary orders for their divorce, child or spousal support, and a parenting plan since we began in 2022.
- Our clinical legal fellow, who started on January 8th has already assisted seventeen clients with direct legal services on domestic violence and family law matters.
We maintain the highest levels of safety and best practices for each client we serve at no cost to the victims because of the generosity and support of community members who support our mission.
