Guide for advocates supporting victim-defendants by providing court preparation guidance and suggestions for managing stress with self-care plans.

Revised in 2023, this matrix contains state and other jurisdictions' advocate confidentiality statutes.

Guide for domestic and sexual violence organizations on deciding whether to offer expert witness services and how to maximize benefits.

This fact sheet describes the realities of survivors with pets in the context of COVID-19, offering ways to utilize protection orders and community resources to help ensure support and safety.

Memo containing excerpts from social science literature about common ways survivors cope with and implement strategies to mitigate the harms of IPV.

A criminal conviction can shift power dynamics, enabling abusers to use a survivor's record to ensure negative consequences.

This memo contains excerpts from social science literature about the impacts of trauma on survivors’ ability to recall the details of traumatic events.

This memorandum excerpts selected literature on strangulation in IPV, which can affect people of all genders and identities.

This memo offers social science literature to explain the link between IPV victimization and substance use/SUD for practitioners working with criminalized survivors.

The article promotes enhanced collaboration between Community Violence Intervention and anti-domestic violence efforts to improve family and community safety.

Toolkit offering strategies to center survivors charged with crimes within a community's response to domestic and sexual violence.

This newsletter highlights key full faith and credit resources for professionals.

This resource is a brief, practical "palm card" designed to provide essential information for securing child support when the co-parent is abusive.

This matrix reviews state codes specific to protection order time limits/durations.

This booklet describes how to use action research in Close to Home’s community organizing approach.

This booklet offers an overview of Close to Home’s philosophy and practice for domestic and sexual violence prevention.

This booklet offers lessons learned from using Close to Home’s community organizing approach.

Brief argues court wrongly barred duress instruction due to flawed "recklessly placed" reasoning and excluded battering expert testimony, citing social science.

Brief argues court erred by declaring mistrial based on battering expert testimony; seeks reversal of double jeopardy denial, arguing testimony was acceptable.

Toolkit for advocates to create brochures guiding survivors on the legal process of firearm removal in protection order cases.

This memo addresses common misconceptions in programs that prevent effective support and engagement with criminalized survivors of violence.

Fact sheet details challenges faced by gender-based violence survivors criminalized for self-defense actions or behaviors linked to their abuse.

This matrix summarizes the state statutes defining the terms' abuse' or 'violence' within a civil protection order.

This document offers a state-by-state list of definitions and qualifying relationships for domestic violence civil protection orders.

Provides experts with basic information on the role of domestic/sexual violence expert witnesses, types of testimony, and court system mechanics.

Provides practice tips, immigration law info, a sample expert report, and citations for experts/attorneys representing interpersonal violence victims in immigration proceedings.

Provides expert testimony tips and strategies for defense teams to secure fair outcomes in battered women's self-defense homicide cases.

Tips, references, and guidance for new domestic violence expert witnesses, especially those testifying from the perspective of the prosecution.

Guide/Checklist on federal law/Supreme Court history for Tribal court jurisdiction to enforce protection orders against non-members with full faith and credit.

This report highlights promising practices around the United States and in tribal jurisdictions that represent innovative approaches to enforcing domestic violence firearm prohibitions.

This best practice assessment is designed to assist communities in implementing the values and practice strategies outlined in Civil Protection Orders: A Guide for Improving Practice.

Brief argues court wrongly excluded battering expert testimony, which was essential to evaluate defendant's drug-related conduct and abuse history.

Memo discusses relevance of abuse history to duress claims, need for expert help, defense barriers, and related case law.

This matrix summarizes states that have issued extreme risk protection orders (ERPOs) or have enacted preemptive laws on ERPOs.

This matrix summarizes states that have issued extreme risk protection orders (ERPOs) or have enacted preemptive laws related to ERPOs.

This toolkit offers an overview of ERPOs, frequently asked questions, statutory summaries, and the differences between domestic violence protection orders and ERPOs.

This document offers statutory names, types, length, and eligibility, standards of proof, notification, and removal of firearms related to ERPOs.

This technical assistance bulletin offers the best strategies for advocates assisting victims with the registration of protection orders.

This checklist includes guidance for advocates on facilitating the firearm discussion, removal during issuance of protection orders, enforcement, and transfer.

This checklist includes guidance on facilitating the firearm discussion, firearm removal, enforcement of firearm prohibitions, and transfer/return of firearms.

This checklist includes guidance for judges on protection orders, facilitating enforcement, misdemeanor crimes, surrender of firearms, and judicial notification.

This checklist includes guidance for law enforcement on protection orders, misdemeanor crimes, seizure and safe return of firearms, and more.

Step-by-step guide and overview of domestic violence-related federal firearm prohibitions for law enforcement.

This checklist includes guidance for prosecutors on protection orders, the application of federal law, considerations, and coordinated community efforts.

This bench resource provides information on the federal domestic violence firearm prohibitions.

This document addresses the five common questions about protection orders and their enforcement across jurisdictional lines. It serves as a starting point and a guide.

This guide answers key questions about full faith and credit and offers helpful tips and resources for advocates assisting survivors with enforcement across jurisdictions.

Compilation of states and territories with full faith and credit statutes for enforcement of protection orders, including definitions of key terms and procedures for filing, registration, and enforcement.

Brief on certiorari in alleged “murder for hire” of abusive husband.

Offers prosecutors suggestions for finding just and nuanced responses in cases where the defendant is a victim of battering.

This guide provides information for courts on how to comply with the Judicial Notification certification requirements.

This memo will help you talk with your attorney about the pros and cons of accepting a plea deal.

This guide provides suggestions on how to capture evidence that can be admitted in court from your devices, such as your cell phone, computer, or tablet.

This document addresses the legal impediments along with other considerations that jurisdictions face when implementing firearm relinquishment orders.

This guide explains civil versus military protection orders to help advocates increase survivor safety and accountability.

Presents the findings of a series of focus groups and interviews with female victims of battering who had been convicted of domestic-violence-related crimes against their intimate partners.

Guide explains VAWA full faith and credit for enforcing protection orders across jurisdictions.

Explores topics and considerations for facilitating a group with victims of battering in jail or prison.

Este kit de herramientas incluye una lista de verificación y recursos y a una guía para evaluar y ayudar a las personas relacionadas con las fuerzas armadas de los Estados Unidos que son víctimas/sobrevivientes de violencia doméstica.

Draws from resources and tools related to ending mass incarceration, centering racial justice in communities and institutions, and creating alternatives to the criminal legal system.

Brief argues court erred by limiting battering evidence to diminished capacity, instead of self-defense's objective reasonableness.

This guide informs law enforcement on how to enforce protection orders across the nation under the full faith and credit provision.

This guide provides law enforcement with information on enforcing protection orders nationwide.

Conversations with anti-violence advocates on key themes and approaches for addressing mass incarceration, racial justice, and alternatives to the criminal legal system.

Report findings inform more equitable, effective civil protection orders for often-overlooked AAPI survivors.

Counsel's failure to present corroborating witnesses and expert testimony on abuse during sentencing prejudiced the defendant, leading to a death sentence.

The purpose of this model policy is to provide policies and standard operating procedures for specific areas related to domestic violence cases that may be encountered by a law enforcement agency.

This toolkit supports advocates in educating communities about the life-saving value of protection orders and improving the implementation of firearm prohibitions to protect survivors.

Guide for advocates helping victim-defendants prepare for court with guidance and suggestions for self-care plans to manage court stress.

A resource compiling case law related to 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(8), concerning firearm prohibitions for individuals subject to a protection order.

This matrix details advocate confidentiality statutes across states and territories, outlining legal protections for communications.

Brief argues that jury should have been instructed on defense of duress and analyzes admissibility and relevance of battering evidence to battered women’s duress claims.

Explores counsel’s constitutional duty to secure expert assistance, the scope of the government’s obligation to provide funds to defendants for expert services, and how to petition the court for funds for a DV expert.

Research-based guides for family courts to make informed, abuse-aware custody decisions centered on lived experiences.

This state-by-state matrix outlines statutory provisions that direct law enforcement officers to arrest the predominant/primary/principal aggressor in domestic violence situations.

Guide for prosecutors to understand and apply the principles of Full Faith and Credit for protection orders, ensuring nationwide enforcement.

This matrix summarizes the statutes governing protection order modifications and extensions for each state.

Technology solutions to increase access to and enforcement of protection orders.

This matrix provides state service of process statutes and rules for civil protection order cases.

Tip sheet is designed to assist practitioners in foreseeing, recognizing, and eliminating barriers to justice in the protection order process for people with disabilities.

For practitioners working with criminalized survivors, it's helpful to be familiar with common reentry issues that people face when returning home from incarceration.

This handout provides relevant statutes and a chart that outlines key factors regarding criminal jurisdiction in Indian country. Designed for judges in Nevada.

Handout listing valuable resources for considering issues related to protection orders in tribal and/or rural settings. Designed for judges.

This guide lists the different tools NCPOFFC created to help identify the differences between ERPOs and DVPOs so that system actors can understand and explain those differences to survivors.

The SAFE tool assists survivors with evaluating if, when, how, and for what period they may want to request that an intimate partner who abused them be prohibited from use, possession, or ownership of firearm(s) and ammunition.

Designed to help survivors, advocates, attorneys, mediators, judges, and others talk about whether a case is appropriate for mediation and, if so, how mediation can be structured to account for the nature, context, and effects of IPV.

The SAFeR Practitioner's Manual help practitioners user the SAFeR method. SAFeR helps survivors–and attorneys and advocates who work with them–decide for themselves which options make the most sense under the circumstances.

Color-coded worksheets help pinpoint relevant IPV- related information for each element of SAFeR.

Sample Firearm Survivor Information Template for editing: "What You Need to Know About Firearms and Your Safety"

This matrix reviews state statutes specific to sealing and expungement of court records pertaining to civil protection orders.

Resource to help advocacy programs ensure their programs are welcoming and accessible to justice-involved survivors.

This matrix outlines states and territories that issue stalking protection orders, including eligibility criteria, available relief measures, and penalties for violations.

Compilation of states and territories with full faith and credit statutes for enforcement of protection orders, including definitions of key terms and procedures for filing, registration, and enforcement.

This matrix summarizes the duration of state protection orders.

This state-by-state matrix reviews statutes prohibiting fees for filing, issuance, registration, or service of process for protection orders.

This matrix summarizes the requirements for registering an out-of-jurisdiction protection order in a state registry.

Matrix providing an overview of state and other U.S. jurisdictions' laws regarding the entry of protection orders into a database/registry.

This matrix reviews state-by-state statutory language on whether a court may enter mutual protection order provisions and/or enforcement of mutual protection orders.

Brief argues that court erred by permitting jury to conclude that remaining in abusive relationship was proof that defendant "recklessly placed [herself] in the situation" thereby barring her duress defense.

Brief argues that counsel was ineffective and defendant was severely prejudiced by counsel’s failure to present lay and expert evidence on battering, which was necessary to assess self-defense elements and rebut misconceptions about battered women.

Brief argues that court erred by excluding lay and expert evidence on battering, which was relevant to explain defendant’s conduct and state of mind, including her suicidality, when she shot batterer in hospital.

Brief on review to state supreme court argues to affirm reversal of victim-defendant’s murder conviction due to erroneous jury instruction that “imminent harm” meant that such harm will occur “immediately.”

Matrix that outlines the venue requirements and essential information required for a domestic violence protection order petition in each state/jurisdiction.

This matrix reviews state statutes for minors, including who can file, qualifying relationships, and minor specific provisions.

12-page paper highlighting legal risks faced by victims of battering who are charged with crimes and at the same time negotiating civil court proceedings. Suggests approaches to weighing those risks.

This bulletin is designed to ensure that state and local law enforcement officials across the country have the necessary information to enforce and prosecute violations of tribal protection orders.

Examines the criminal legal system's impact on domestic violence, focusing on arrest, police response, and survivor safety.

Explores the role that domestic violence plays in a high percentage of parental kidnapping cases and the need to illuminate that role for a fair applications of justice.

Comprehensive legal guide covering custody jurisdiction, domestic violence, and key federal and state family law statutes.

A practice manual for lawyers representing survivors in domestic violence protective order cases.

Study of US state and federal cases, examining how defense and prosecution used expert testimony on battering in criminal cases and how courts ruled on its admissibility.

Print/text version of a panel interview of formerly incarcerated women regarding their reentry experiences, insights, and suggestions for advocates and practitioners working with reentering survivors.

Tipsheet highlighting practical strategies for community advocates to help survivors successfully complete probation or parole supervision.

This toolkit includes a checklist and resources for assessing and assisting victims/survivors of domestic abuse who have a connection to the U.S. Armed Forces.

This TA Bulletin explores the implications from U.S. v. Rahimi for protection orders and firearms prohibitions.

Matrix of state statutes on the unauthorized practice of law, including criminal penalties.

Brief arguing expert testimony on battering was relevant to defendant’s knowledge that pseudoephedrine purchased for co-defendant abuser would be used to make methamphetamine and to her failure to ask him probing questions.

Webinar presentation regarding using the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) to help enforce protection orders nationwide.

Toolkit for advocates, attorneys, court personnel, and law enforcement to ensure compliance with VAWA's "no fee" prohibition for protection orders.

Describes how community supervision can decrease safety and increase violence for reentering victims of battering by eliminating or limiting viable options.

Correctly applied Battered Woman Syndrome evidence counters misconceptions, leading to fairer outcomes for criminalized survivors of domestic violence.

This resource provides information for practitioners who work with survivors seeking to relocate.

Q&A guide helps advocate expert witnesses explain trauma and trauma responses in victims of battering and other forms of violence.

Manual with strategies for community-based advocates to provide effective support to incarcerated victims of battering, updated July 2025.

The resource details the statutes regarding workplace protection orders, with an effective date of November 5, 2019.

Explores the application and limitations of the “official use” exemption.