Finding Help with Domestic Violence
by: New Mexico Legal Aid
Getting Help
There are many places that can give you help.
New Mexico Coalition Against Domestic Violence, has a website you can reach from this section of our site.
On the Internet go to this address for places that can help with Domestic Violence:
http://www.nmcadv.org/member1.htm
There are other links to sites that will give you help.
If you do not have a computer, or do not know how to use one, go to your nearest public library and ask for help.
Public libraries have computers to help people.
You can use a computer. You can use a yellow pages telephone book. You can locate places to help you.
Look for "domestic violence" in the yellow pages phone book.
You will find agencies and shelters.
Court Order of Protection
You have legal rights to help you.
The fastest legal help you can get is a Court Order of Protection.
This is a legal paper telling the violent person to stop what he is doing.
The Court Order of Protection is written to stop the problems. It is written to give you what you and your children need. This includes a home, a car, and support for you and for them.
The person making the problem can be ordered to stay away from you and your children.
It can stop him from contacting you in any way.
You may be given temporary custody of the children.
The police can arrest this person, if he disobeys the order.
How do you get an Order of Protection? You contact the police. You contact the District Attorney. Or, you can contact the local state attorney. They will tell you who to speak to.
You will have to go to court. You will have to tell the judge you are a victim of violence and abuse. If you have witnesses, they can be a great help. Pictures of what was done to you can help.
If you have evidence of other violence by the attacker, it can be important.
You have to tell the judge what you want included in the Order of Protection.
Tell the judge what you think this person might do to you and your family. You must ask the judge for the things you think you will need in the court order. You can ask for a "no contact" section of the order.
You have to remember to call the police every time the order is broken
Always have a copy of the order with you.
If you want to find a lawyer, you can look under "Finding A Lawyer" in this section of our site.
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