Case Study: Saving Lives with Gun Surrender Orders
A Court of Appeals ruling can change how courts across Washington apply the law, and NJP’s strategic appeals on gun surrender orders show what that can mean for domestic violence survivors.
Gun Surrender Victory for Survivors of Domestic Violence
When a domestic violence survivor Ilana Hernandez sought a protection order against her partner Michael in 2023, she detailed terrifying incidents where he displayed, used, and threatened her with firearms. A judge agreed she and her three children needed protection—but refused to order Michael to surrender his guns. This wasn't an isolated incident. That same […]
Lives at Stake: Fighting for Clarity on Washington’s Domestic Violence Gun Surrender Law
On July 25, 2024, Carissa Larkin was shot and killed by her former fiancé in the parking lot of her Clark County apartment complex. She was holding her 4-year-old son at the time. Just months earlier, Larkin had obtained a protection order against her abuser, fearing for her life. However, the Clark County Superior Court […]
Victory for Survivors of Domestic Violence in U.S. Supreme Court; Gun Ban for Abusers Confirmed
Most evictions in Washington State never go to court. They are resolved through settlements between landlords and tenants. After Kathleen and Aaron Allen, mother and daughter, were threatened with eviction, they agreed to a settlement with their landlord, Princeton Property Management.
Destiny wins protection from serial abuser
NJP Advocate Caroline Gillis represented Destiny*, a domestic violence survivor, through five different court cases. At one point, Caroline ensured that Destiny’s infant son was included in her Domestic Violence Protection Order (DVPO) after the court improperly excluded him.
Stay connected to justice in Washington.
Get monthly stories of the people we serve, updates on our work, and ways to help.
A Milestone Appointment: Bree Black Horse to prosecute cases of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People
The historic appointment of Bree Black Horse as the first Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Assistant United States Attorney for the Northwest Region. Black Horse's new role is part of the Department of Justice's MMIP Regional Outreach Program, which aids in the prevention and response to MMIP through the resolution of MMIP cases where federal jurisdiction exists, and through collaboration, coordination, and communication with Tribal, federal, state governmental and non-governmental partners.
Joy: “My daughter was finally safe in my care”
"Since my childhood, a strong work ethic and appreciation for family was instilled in me. I grew up as a biracial adopted child helping my Mennonite family tend to thousands of chickens and hundreds of veal calves on sprawling farmland in Ohio."
Domestic Violence Victims and Court Challenges to DV Firearm Surrender Laws
Firearm surrender laws pertaining to perpetrators of domestic violence are being challenged in both the Washington State Supreme Court and the US Supreme Court. In this interview, we ask Northwest Justice Project Executive Director César Torres about the nature of those challenges and what they could mean for victims of domestic violence.
Raheela: Domestic violence survivor flees abuse, secures long-term protection
"2005 marked a huge turning point in my life as I moved from Pakistan to the United States. With so many changes, I craved the stability of a family. Within a few years, I became a wife and then a mother. As our children grew older, my marriage became unhealthy and abusive. My husband’s abuse affected me and my four kids for several years, and I knew that the best option was to leave. The turning point was in 2020 when I found out that my husband was molesting our children."
Legal Reform Clears the Way to Protection
The last thing a person seeking a court-issued Protection Order (PO) wants to deal with is a morass of confusing paperwork. Yet, before July of this year, that is exactly what they would get. The Washington State legal system had five distinct kinds of protection orders depending on the type of harm and relationship to the abuser. There were different orders for domestic violence, harassment, sexual assault, stalking, and vulnerable adults being abused or neglected.