Kentucky

From the Courier-Journal:

Victims' services in single office

One-stop shop offers legal assistance

By Jessie Halladay ? jhalladay@courier-journal.com ? October 17, 2008

For years, a grass-roots effort has been under way to create a one-stop place for domestic violence victims to seek help from the legal system.

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The dream was to create a single office to help victims navigate the often-confusing legal process, rather than having them go to several offices in multiple buildings.

Yesterday, Jefferson Circuit Court Clerk David Nicholson announced that will happen in early 2009 with the creation of a centralized domestic violence intake center.

"They are fragile victims of our community desperately seeking assistance," Nicholson said.

Since 2001, an intake office has operated in various locations, including, after regular business hours, in the traffic court office. In that time, 65,000 domestic violence victims have been seen in court, Nicholson said.

This initiative will establish a single office in the southwest corner of the Hall of Justice at Sixth and Jefferson streets, for deputy clerks, county attorneys, deputy sheriffs and victim advocates.

Victims of violence can go there to file emergency protective orders, seek warrants or file other court papers. It will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

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