Legal Aid Helps a Survivor of Domestic Violence Find Relief From Years of Abuse

Natalie is a married mother of three young children. She’s been married to her husband, Paul, and lived with his abuse for twenty years. He struggles with a drug addiction and has been in jail several times. Paul was violent when he was upset, often breaking windows and wrecking appliances in the home. He even sabotaged the home’s sump pump to cause the house to flood. 

The physical abuse Natalie endured included threats to the family’s lives, spitting, and physical assault. One day while Natalie was cooking, Paul became enraged and threw pots of hot food at her, burning Natalie. She filed a police report and secured a temporary restraining order against Paul, but he continued to violate it and harass the family. That’s when Natalie knew she needed more help. 

Natalie was referred to Legal Aid SMC through our Domestic Violence Collaborative, a partnership of local organizations that connect survivors of domestic violence with critical resources. Her case was assigned to a pro bono attorney, Jonathan Joannides, from Wilson Sonsini Goodrich Rosati. Jonathan helped Natalie understand her options and file a permanent restraining order against Paul, which would cause him to face criminal charges if he violated it. The order protected her family and denied any visitation rights so the children could no longer be traumatized by their father and they could focus on beginning their healing journey. 

To protect client confidentiality, all client names have been changed.