The Courtroom Advocates Project is a student volunteer program
that trains, recruits, supervises and mentors law students to act
as a lay advocate for women seeking orders of protection in the
family courts of New York City. Students, after attending a one day
training session, volunteer to interview domestic violence victims
and help them to draft court petitions for orders for protection.
Victims are often intimidated by the court procedures and
uneducated about the legal significance of their situation and
therefore do not return to court to obtain final protective orders.
CAP student advocacy significantly improves the quality of the
petitions filed by ensuring the accuracy of the complaints and the
allegations of family offenses and encourages women to return to
court when necessary. Advocates also help to determine the
necessary temporary relief to be sought. Student Advocates
accompany individual petitioners to court on the date of their
initial meeting and when they return for a future court
date.