Victim Narratives, Legal Representation, and Domestic Violence Civil Protection Orders

The objective of this study is to examine the relationship between the use of legal representation and domestic violence civil protection order hearing outcomes. In most jurisdictions, the protection order process has been bureaucratized and carefully structured to facilitate access for victims without legal representation; however, results of an analysis of protection order cases indicates that even with “victim-friendly” procedures and forms, individuals without legal representation are significantly less likely to have their requests for protection orders granted. The implications of these findings are discussed in the context of institutional inequalities in the American legal system.