Danielle and her 10-year-old daughter, Macy, lived in fear. For years, Danielle’s partner and Macy’s father, Mike, controlled them through violence. When Danielle decided to leave, he trapped them in their home and attacked them. A neighbor called the police, who arrived and instructed Mike to spend the night elsewhere. When Mike left, he took…
At 88 years old, Albert never imagined being forced from his home. He lived in a camper on his daughter Sheila’s property. One day, everything changed. In a fit of anger, Sheila threw his cane at him, leaving a bruise and breaking his watch. She then filed for an order of protection against him. Confused…
Ellen arrived at the Jackson County Courthouse feeling overwhelmed. A creditor was suing her for a debt she didn’t recognize, and she suspected her abusive ex-husband, Luis, had used her credit card without permission. Unsure how to defend herself, Ellen brought a police report documenting Luis’ abuse but didn’t know if it would help. Then,…
For years Kristi’s husband, Daniel, beat her severely. He sexually assaulted her, ripped out her hair, and during the last beating, he gagged their young child. That night, the neighbors called 911. When the police arrived, Daniel told Kristi to pretend she was asleep and threatened to kill her if she opened the door. Despite…
One night, Ericka’s husband brutally attacked her with a crowbar. The police connected her with a domestic violence advocate who referred her to Legal Aid for help with an order of protection. Ericka wanted to ensure that she and her daughter were included on the order. Her daughter witnessed the attack and was afraid her…
Jane is probably quite like someone you know; she loves her daughter and would do almost anything to keep her safe. Jane originally applied to Legal Aid for help getting an order of protection against her baby’s father, George. During Jane’s pregnancy, George had become physically abusive, pushing her and almost knocking her to the…
Amy is a veteran and has a young son with physical disabilities. Her son, Sam, was born missing his right hand at the wrist. Amy’s husband, Ryan, had recently threatened to kill Amy in front of Sam and her niece. Amy left Ryan after several violent attacks, including one where he put her head through…
During Denise and Kirk’s relationship, Kirk frequently talked down to Denise, telling her she wasn’t good enough for him. When Denise became pregnant, Kirk threw her belongings out of his home and tried to pressure her into getting an abortion. Denise had the baby and allowed Kirk visits. At the end of one of these…
When Kate married Tom, she didn’t know the person he would become. He had been kind and gentle with her while dating, but Tom’s behavior began changing shortly after they got married. Tom suffered from mental health issues, and his doctor prescribed him medication. Tom didn’t want to take the medication, no matter how much…
Brenda came to Legal Aid for assistance obtaining a custody order for her three children. The children’s father, Wayne, was in prison at the time for robbery and domestic assault. Wayne had abused and harassed Brenda for almost a decade. He punched her in the face repeatedly, kicked her in the face and stomach, tried…
