Family Protection Clinic Receives Grant

The School of Law's Family Protection Clinic received $435,000 in funding from the US Department of Justice (DOJ) as part of the Violence Against Women Act. Since 1999, when the DOJ first provided funds to establish the clinic at UC Davis and support its operation for the first 18 months, the Clinic has continually received grant money from the DOJ.

The Clinic is the only legal entity providing free representation to low-income victims of domestic violence in Yolo County. The County has a higher percentage of people living below the federal poverty level than the average for both California and the United States.

Established in collaboration with the pre-existing Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Center in Woodland, law students enroll in the clinic for two semesters. Under the supervision of alumna Sarah Orr '92, clinic staff attorney, students are involved in every aspect of domestic violence cases, including representing clients at restraining order hearings and in family law matters involving divorce, separation, child custody, visitation, support and property issues. In addition to providing legal representation, students provide assistance and referrals for clients with issues, including public benefits, immigration, health care, housing, economics, and others.

The clinical program emphasizes the importance and added effectiveness of addressing the complex problem of domestic violence from many different perspectives and emphasizes student education, direct client representation, and community education. UC Davis law professor Martha West, a nationally recognized authority on women's legal rights, is the program's creator.

The Honorable Donna Petre of the Yolo County Superior Court said of the Davis law students who appeared in her family court, "They're taking complex family law cases and ensuring that people who wouldn't otherwise have legal services are represented."