Advocacy Cafe

Representing Yourself in Domestic Violence Court

Description

This training will focus on challenges of self-representation, emotional and legal readiness prior to and during a domestic violence hearing, the general structure of a hearing, assembling evidence, understanding some common limitations on evidence, considering elements of the case and burdens of proof, differences between direct examination and cross examination, rebuttal testimony, courtroom conduct, verdict and appeal, dismissals, and a general discussion of common pitfalls.

Objectives

• The importance of preparing for a hearing and understanding how a hearing works;

• Different types of evidence and common evidence rules;

• The connection between emotional readiness and legal readiness for the court hearing

Facilitators

Lawrence R. Jones retired from the New Jersey Judiciary in 2017, after serving the public as a Superior Court Judge. During his time on the Bench, he served as the President of the New Jersey Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, and authored over 60 opinions on novel issues of law, including significant published and unpublished opinions on issues of domestic violence and dating violence (IPV). Judge Jones also served as a member of the faculty of New Jersey’s Judicial College, and was the creator and co-presenter of the Judiciary’s 2016 program, “Harassment: Drawing the Line between Domestic Disagreements and Domestic Violence.” Some of Judge Jones’ decisions on domestic violence-related issues include: J.L. v. G.D., (special procedures and appointment of GAL for minor plaintiff in domestic violence case); B.C. v. T.G , domestic violence restraining order; legal issues regarding pregnant victim and minor’s unborn child); J.C. v. M.C; S.S. v. S.T. (pet abuse as a form of domestic violence) E.C. v. R.H. (procedures for using cell phone evidence in domestic violence proceedings) R.C. v. R.W (physical provocation as possible defense to domestic violence claim); J.C. v. B.S. (elder abuse as form of domestic violence); J.L. v. A.C. ( coercion as a form of domestic violence) C.G. . v. E.G. (intentional interference with employment as domestic Violence); D.S. v. B.C. (violation of temporary restraining order as independent act of domestic violence),and A.S. v. V.S. ( courtroom evidence issues in domestic violence cases). Prior to joining the Judiciary, he Jones served as the Chairperson of the Editorial Board of New Jersey Lawyer Magazine, the official publication of the New Jersey State Bar Association. Following his departure from the Judiciary, he was honored by the New Jersey Law Journal as a Distinguished Leader of the N.J. Bar. In November 2017, he was appointed by N.J. Governor-elect Phil Murphy to serve on the gubernatorial transition team relative to legal issues and social justice. During his post-Judicial career, he has been appointed as an adjunct professor at Monmouth University, where he developed and taught of the first undergraduate courses in the United States devoted specifically to the study of domestic violence. The New Jersey Senate awarded special recognition to Monmouth University and Professor Jones for the development of this course. Professor Jones was also subsequently appointed to serve on the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence’s (NCADV) Review Committee, helping to evaluate/select educational programs for the organization’s annual conference. In 2021, Professor Jones’s work was presented at the annual National Conference on Health and Domestic Violence on issues regarding pet abuse as a form of domestic violence, and related issues regarding emergent domestic violence shelters for pet owners. In 2019, Professor Jones was also appointed as a professor at Montclair University. He has also continued to present and lecture extensively on multiple legal subjects for the New Jersey State Bar Association, the New Jersey Association of Professional Mediators, the Association of Professional Family Mediators, and other legal and professional organizations. He presently serves on the New Jersey State Bar Association’s Legal Education Committee and as an appointed director/legislative liaison on the Dispute Resolution Council . He has also been appointed to the Board of Directors of the New Jersey Association of Professional Mediators. In 2020, Professor Jones was one of the featured speakers at the New Jersey State Bar Association’s presentation on “Economic Abuse as a Form of Domestic Violence”. He was a certified economic mediator in New Jersey in matters with active restraining orders in place. He presently practices mediation and dispute resolution, and now resides with his wife in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he will be teaching at University of New Mexico this fall. During National Domestic Violence Awareness Month 2022, he appeared as a guest speaker on the television program New Mexico in Focus, presenting on issues concerning domestic abuse and legal/social aspects of Congress’ reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA 2022). In 2022, the New Mexico Supreme Court appointed Jones as the Vice Chair of the statewide Commission on Alternative Dispute Resolution.

Joni Jones is a registered nurse, board certified in psychiatric and mental health nursing, who retired from the New Jersey Board of Nursing, serving the public under two separate Governors (Corzine/Christie). She also served on Governor Murphy’s transition team on health-related issues. In 2013, Joni was the recipient of the Elizabeth Kellogg’s Award for excellence in nursing. Joni presents extensively on various social issues including mental health, domestic violence and children with autism spectrum disorder. She is one of the original founders of Parents of Autistic Children (POAC), and has presented before the Autism Society of America and the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts on autism-related issues, Joni is also a former certified developmental disabilities nurse. From 2002-2009, Joni worked with multiple major league baseball teams to create the first-ever "Autism Awareness Day" games hosted by the New York Yankees (the Florida Marlins , the Pittsburgh Pirates, and the (then) Montreal Expos. In 2002, the National baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown New York honored the Lakewood BlueClaws, minor league affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies, for hosting pro baseball's first-ever Autism Awareness Day and Comcast TV won a 2003 Emmy award for its coverage of the event. She was previously a certified instructor in Mental Health First Aid has authored numerous published articles on mental health-related issues, and received New Jersey certification in crisis intervention. Joni is the co-author of “10 Basic Principles of Cultural Competency (BCPP): A Starting Point for New Mediators”, which was presented at the 2021 Academy of Professional Mediators program on Mediation and Autism Spectrum Disorder, and at the 2021 New Jersey Association of Professional Mediators’ inaugural forum on cultural competency. She is also the author of a new children’s book, “The Invisible Hurt,” which addresses the relationship of between young child and a parent with mental health challenges. with She has recently relocated with her family to Albuquerque, New Mexico, and has been appointed to U.S. Senator Ben Ray Lujan’s Mental Health Consortium.