Barbara J. Hart Justice Center offers no-cost holistic civil legal representation to victims of domestic and sexual violence. They represent survivors for Protection From Abuse Orders, custody, divorce, support, immigration, housing, and consumer debt matters in Lackawanna and Susquehanna Counties.
WRC also works to make changes on a systemic level. The Justice Center attorneys rely on direct representation and broader legal advocacy to dismantle oppressive systems that allow for gender-based violence.
Barbara J. Hart Justice Center, a project of the WRC
Barbara J. Hart Justice Center offers free civil legal representation to victims of domestic and sexual violence. They represent survivors for Protection From Abuse, custody, divorce, support, immigration, housing, and consumer debt matters in Lackawanna and Susquehanna Counties.
WRC also works to make changes on a systemic level. The Justice Center attorneys rely on direct representation and broader legal advocacy to dismantle oppressive laws that allow for gender based violence.
Who is Barbara J. Hart?
An advocate for survivors of domestic violence in Pennsylvania, Barbara J. Hart was the legal director of Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence and helped co-author the Protection From Abuse Act. She thought it important that survivors have another option outside of criminal court to be safe, so she worked at the Coalition for over 30 years and helped to make WRC become one of the first domestic violence programs in the state with its own attorneys.
Contact Juliana Petro for more information: julianap@wrcnepa.org
FAQs About What We Do
The Justice Center combines the skills of advocates and attorneys to act in the interest of survivors of domestic and/or sexual violence within the legal system. Due to the increased risk of violence/abuse upon separation and subsequent legal action, attorneys representing in domestic/sexual violence cases have a unique set of factors to consider in representation. Justice Center attorneys are therefore trained in the dynamics of domestic and sexual violence and provide representation through a trauma-informed lens. The structure of the Justice Center offers attorneys and advocates the unique benefit of shared knowledge of domestic and sexual violence, and a shared purpose of safety and justice for persons who have experienced domestic and/or sexual violence.
The Justice Center represents in Protection from Abuse, Sexual Violence Protection Orders, Custody, Spousal and Child Support, Divorce, Immigration, and other civil legal matters related to the abuse. The Justice Center does not do estate planning or criminal representation.
As with all WRC services, representation by the Justice Center comes at no cost to the participant. However, the participant may be responsible for certain fees or court-related costs.
All referrals come through the WRC. A WRC advocate will assess your needs and determine if you are eligible for a referral. The Justice Center then further assesses eligibility for civil legal assistance, including verifying applicable income guidelines. Participants who experience an escalation of domestic and/or sexual violence are a priority for referral.
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