3 minute read
Committee Spotlight
from Counterbalance Summer 2021
by NAWJ
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We will become an even stronger and clearer regional and national voice, as together we move toward implementing this vision and reaching our goals.
and virtual format actually has helped us offer more events, and to expand awareness of NAWJ around the country. Membership and member engagement have increased.
Over the next several years, NAWJ has opportunity to strengthen its foundation, and to increase recognition of its vital work. Creativity and technology are enabling the Districts to produce more of their own programs and webinars, as current NAWJ programs can be streamlined into models for all of them to use. This enhances ability of our programs to be hosted in person and virtually, potentially broadening NAWJ’s diverse membership, and our advocacy for fairness and access to justice. We also have developed a list of several like organizations with whom we can begin to collaborate on joint projects and events. Developing relationships with these groups, while maintaining and growing the Resource Board, is important to our growth.
NAWJ always has been passionate about crucial issues facing the courts, the overall justice system, and our country as a whole. We will become an even stronger and clearer regional and national voice, as together we move toward implementing this vision and reaching our goals.
Laurie Hein Denham, CAE
Executive Director
NAWJ Domestic Violence Committee
It is our pleasure to introduce ourselves and tell this fantastic organization a bit about our committee and the plans for the DV Committee.
As all of you know, Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault are very specific issues with specific features that, as judges, we should receive training and guidance on handling these types of cases.
Starting with the definition of domestic violence in Michigan under the legislation enacting the MI Domestic and Sexual Violence Prevention and Treatment Board under MCL 400.1501:
By Hon. Amy Ronayne Krause, Judge, Michigan Court of Appeals and Hon. Tracey Flemings-Davillier Judge, Orleans Parish Criminal District Court
Michigan State Definition of Domestic Violence
(d) “Domestic violence” means the occurrence of any of the following acts by a person that is not an act of self-defense: i. Causing or attempting to cause physical or mental harm to a family or household member. ii. Placing a family or household member in fear of physical or mental harm. iii. Causing or attempting to cause a family or household member to engage in involuntary sexual activity by force, threat of force, or duress. iv. Engaging in activity toward a family or household member that would cause a reasonable person to feel terrorized, frightened, intimidated, threatened, harassed, or molested.
Many judges deal with domestic violence and sexual assault scenarios under many different cases in addition to criminal charges. Custody and termination of parental rights are cases in which DV and sexual assault are prevalent and have a different aspect to them from criminal cases. For example, animal abuse in front of children should be taken into account in a custody case, at least under MI law and actually the same should hold true everywhere. for judges in all of these areas. We also believe it is important that as an organization we recognize stalking, sexual assault and domestic violence awareness months.
As Co-Chairs, we are planning a meeting in the near future and hope to make plans for all of these important aspects of all of these crimes that impact so many people. The pandemic, as we have all read, has increased the number of cases and the lack of reporting as people who are victims who many times have no where to go, truly had no where to
