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Concord Monitor March 8, 2022 In a sweeping set of recommendations released Tuesday, a domestic violence task force suggested creating more user-friendly legal forms and more affordable legal assistance for victims seeking protection from abuse in New Hampshire courts.
“This is a system that was designed to be accessible and usable to victims who do not have a lawyer and do not have an advocate, and what has happened over time is it has become less accessible,” said Lyn Schollett, the executive director of the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence and a task force member. “We are looking for any change as a result of this task force to make this more accessible for people who may not have an advocate.” InDepthNH March 8, 2022 The report released Tuesday by the Task Force on Domestic Violence Cases in the New Hampshire Judicial Branch finds there are not enough resources in courts for victims of domestic violence, and there’s a lack of judicial accountability for when things go wrong.
Lyn Schollett, Executive Director of the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, said the fact the Task Force was created at all shows that the judiciary is making some progress. The Task Force brought together members of the public, advocates, attorneys, and judges to examine how the courts deal with domestic violence cases, and what can be done better. Schollett wants to see the judiciary open up more to create better communication between the courts and the public. “I would hope to see improved communication among the judicial branch and other stakeholders,” she said. Associated Press March 8, 2022 Other judiciary-related recommendations that are supported by the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, which was represented on the task force, include a review of the current judicial performance review process and a determination of how best to obtain more meaningful data, as well as efforts to explore and address implicit gender bias against survivors in domestic violence cases.
“We were grateful for the opportunity to work with stakeholders to create a roadmap in this report for improved accountability and transparency in domestic violence cases,” Lyn Schollett, the coalition's executive director, said in a statement. WMUR March 8, 2022 A task force report commissioned after a New Hampshire woman was shot and nearly killed in November by a man she had tried to get a permanent restraining order against is getting a mixed reaction.
"One of the recommendations asks a legislative committee to look at the judicial review process," said Lynn Schollett, executive director of the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence. "That's important and that's exciting because we know there are judicial review best practices in other states that we can mirror here in New Hampshire." |
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The 12 member programs of the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence provide services regardless of gender,age, health status (including HIV-positive), physical, mental or emotional ability, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, socio-economic status, race, national origin, immigration status or religious or political affiliation.
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Funding for this website was provided by The Corporate Fund.
New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence
PO Box 353, Concord, NH 03302-0353
(603) 224-8893
New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence
PO Box 353, Concord, NH 03302-0353
(603) 224-8893
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