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Iowa News > Article |
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 Family and Juvenile |
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A Client's Story: Working for Fairness for Dana Hackett |
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Domestic violence is a harsh reality of life for many Iowans. Making the decision to get out ofan abusive marriage is only the start of the process. Dana Hackett of Dubuque took the first steps on her own to get a restraining order, but proceeding with legal actions necessary to secure the life she and her four children needed on a permanent basis was an intimidating prospect.
After contacting the local YWCA domestic violence program, Dana did not know where to turn. “I needed a no contact order. They told me I could go alone, and if I wanted somebody to go with me, I should contact legal services.” With the assistance of staff from the Y, she filled out the pro se forms and went by herself to talk to the judge, and obtained a temporary no contact order. She went back to her home to get her children and the possessions they needed.
The next step would be a hearing 14 days later. “That’s when Iowa Legal Aid came into the picture. They were there when I needed them.” Dana did not have the financial resources to hire an attorney. “I fought and fought and fought with myself about how I could do this for probably four or five years. I knew I just didn’t have the money to do it.” Without the assistance of her attorney from Iowa Legal Aid during the legal procedures that followed, Dana probably would have gone back to the life from which she so desperately wanted to escape... “Among other things, I was constantly being put down. I was told what I had to say didn’t matter, and my family was never good enough.”
The trip to the courthouse for her hearing was a frightening prospect. “It is a scary thing. To me it was the biggest step in my life. This was a huge thing for me. When it was over, I felt like a heavy burden was lifted off. It was like a heavy stone you were carrying for so long was finally gone.” Today, Dana lives with her children in a household free from the anger and violence that was once a fact of life for many years.
At the conclusion of her case, Dana stated, “Throughout the course of the entire proceedings Iowa Legal Aid was there for me. There were a lot of stressful things that I had to deal with, so it was a relief to know that I could turn to them for help. They were able to answer my questions and advise me on my options, while assisting me with all the legal proceedings. Without the help of Iowa Legal Aid I am sure that we would not be where we are today.” Being able to turn to Iowa Legal Aid for assistance with a no contact order and dissolution of marriage has made their new life possible.
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By: Iowa Legal Aid - 01/02/2004 |
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