Legal abuse can be an unexpected and sometimes tragic extension of domestic or intimate partner abuse. It is important for everyone in the family courts to understand, including litigants, judges, and evaluative professionals. This is the first of a four-video series.

In October 2014, we created a four-video series to examine the problem of Legal Abuse as an Extension of Domestic Abuse. In the first video, we introduce the concept of legal abuse and define it for purposes of our discussion.

In the second video, we talk with Sandra Brown, M.A., CEO of the Institute for Relational Harm Reduction, and get her insights into domestic abuse and legal abuse from the clinical perspective.

Attorney Victoria Vilchez joins us in our third video and shares her experiences and insights into legal abuse from the litigator’s perspective.

Finally, John shares with us, in the fourth video of the series, his own personal experiences with legal abuse and representing himself in court.

We hope that the information we’ve put together for you can help you or someone you know navigate a difficult situation.