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Esta parte de nuestro sitio web incluye los cambios que hemos realizado en la página, empezando por el más reciente, pero solamente está disponible en inglés. Si tiene alguna pregunta, no dude en escribirnos.
diciembre 2025
We added 31 resources and updated 13 other resources on our Puerto Rico Courthouse Locations page in English and Spanish.
We added six new statutes related to kidnapping and child molestation to our Selected Missouri Statutes page and our Missouri Crimes page. Crimes added in English and Spanish.
noviembre 2025
On our Alabama Restraining Orders page, we revised the question What protections can I get in a protection from abuse order? to make it easier for users to understand the protections a judge can give in an emergency or final protection order, and how having a protection order can restrict the abuser from legally having a gun.
On our Alabama State Gun Laws page, we added two new questions defining terms used in the gun laws:
We also revised six existing questions based on 2025 amendments to the law about who can possess a firearm:
- What is a felony?
- I am a victim of domestic violence and the abuser has a gun. Is that legal?
- I have a protection from abuse order against the abuser. Can they have a gun?
- If the abuser has been convicted of a crime, can they have a gun?
- What is the penalty for violating the state gun laws?
- I do not have a protection order against the abuser, and they were never convicted of a crime. Can they have a gun?
All changes made in English; Spanish coming soon!
We added nine new resources and updated 14 resources on our Ohio Legal Assistance page, and updated the resource on our Lawyer Referral Services page. All changes made in English and Spanish.
We updated the information for Atria Collective on our Vermont Local Programs page in English and Spanish.
We updated the information for the Center for Victims on our Pennsylvania Local Programs page in English and Spanish.
We revised seven questions on our Louisiana Divorce page to improve readability for our users. Changes made in English; Spanish coming soon!
- What are the residency requirements for divorce in Louisiana?
- What are the grounds for divorce in Louisiana?
- Can I get spousal support?
- How much spousal support can I get?
- Can I keep my insurance coverage even though my abusive spouse was the policyholder?
- What are the basic steps for filing for divorce?
- What types of injunctions related to abuse and harassment can a judge issue in a divorce case?
We also revised the question Where can I find additional information about divorce? for clarity, in English and Spanish.
We revised two questions in our Louisiana Custody section to improve readability, in English and Spanish:
We created three new questions in our Louisiana Custody section defining key terms and explaining basic information:
- What is Louisiana’s definition of family violence?
- What is Louisiana’s definition of domestic abuse?
- What is Louisiana’s definition of sexual abuse?
We also revised eight questions improve readability:
- How will a judge make a decision about custody?
- Can a non-parent get custody?
- Should I start a court case to ask for supervised visitation?
- Can a parent who committed family violence or domestic abuse get custody in Louisiana?
- Can a parent who committed family violence or domestic abuse get visitation in Louisiana?
- Can a parent who is sexually abusive get custody in Louisiana?
- Can a parent who sexually abused a child get visitation in Louisiana?
- If my child was conceived because of a sexual crime, does the offender have any rights to my child?
Changes made in English; Spanish coming soon!
We revised our Louisiana Suing an Abuser for Money page for clarity and to improve readability. Changes made in English; Spanish coming soon!
We revised our Louisiana Crimes and Download Court Forms pages for clarity and to improve readability, in English and Spanish.
We revised the three questions on our Louisiana Child Support page for clarity and to improve readability. Changes made in English; Spanish coming soon!
- Who can get child support? How long will child support last?
- How much child support can I get?
- Where can I get more information on child support in Louisiana?
We also added one new statute related to child support to our Selected Louisiana Statutes page.
We revised four questions in our Montana State Gun Laws section for clarity and to improve readability:
- I am a victim of domestic violence and the abuser has a gun. Is that legal?
- I have a temporary or final order of protection against the abuser. Can they have or buy a gun?
- If the abuser has been convicted of a crime, can they have or buy a gun?
- I do not have an order of protection against the abuser, and they have not been convicted of any crimes. Can they have a gun?
We also revised the question What are the residency requirements for divorce in Montana? on our Montana Divorce page to improve readability.
We revised three questions in our Montana Restraining Orders section for clarity and to improve readability:
- What is the legal definition of domestic violence in Montana?
- Who can file for an order of protection?
- Can a minor get an order of protection?
We added 13 crimes related to assault, kidnapping, offenses against the family, and property offenses to to our Montana Crimes page and our Selected Montana Statutes page.
Based on 2025 legislative changes, we revised our Arizona Suing an Abuser for Money page to reflect that the maximum amount a person can sue for in small claims court has increased from $3,500 to $5,000. Changes made in English and Spanish.
We also added two new statutes related to sexual offenses against children to our Selected Arizona Statutes page and our Crimes page.
On our Ohio Courthouse Locations page, we reviewed and updated the information for 43 resources, from Lawrence to Wyandot counties.
On our Minnesota Courthouse Locations page, we reviewed and updated the information for 35 resources, from Koochiching to Yellow Medicine counties.
We updated the two resources on our Indiana Statewide Programs page in English and Spanish.
On our Puerto Rico Download Court Forms page, we updated the link to the forms page on the Puerto Rico Judicial Branch website, in Spanish and English.
We revised four questions on our Connecticut State Gun Laws page, based on 2025 legislative amendments defining the crimes that affect whether a person can legally have a gun:
- I am a victim of domestic violence and the abuser has a gun. Is that illegal?
- I have a final restraining order against the abuser. Is it illegal for them to have a firearm?
- If the abuser was convicted of a crime, is it illegal for them to have a gun?
- I do not have a protective order against the abuser, and they have not been convicted of a crime. Can they have a gun?
Changes made in English; Spanish coming soon!
We added two new crimes related to sexual offenses against minors and human trafficking to our Selected Connecticut Statutes page and to our Connecticut Crimes page.
On our Montana Suing an Abuser for Money page, we updated the link for Montana Small Claims Court.
We updated the information for 67 resources on our New York Courthouse Locations page.
We updated the information for 60 resources and added seven new resources to our Pennsylvania Courthouse Locations page.
octubre 2025
In our Vermont Restraining Orders section, we did the following:
- Created the new subsection titled Relief from Abuse, Neglect, or Exploitation of a Vulnerable Adult Order, with 12 new questions, in order to include the option of an RFA order for vulnerable adults.
- Revised two questions to improve readability and clarity:
- Revised two questions based on a 2025 legislative change specifying that stalking orders must be filed during regular court hours:
We also added nine new statutes related to relief from abuse orders to our Selected Vermont Statutes page.
On our Vermont Crimes page, we updated the link to the Victim Compensation Program.
On our Oregon Custody page, we created a new Basic info and definitions subsection with three new questions:
We added cross-links to these definitions in The steps to file for custody section. We also added three related statutes to our Selected Oregon Statutes page. Spanish translation coming soon!
We created a new Oregon Workplace Protections section including 12 new questions with information on safe leave benefits under the Paid Leave Oregon program:
- What is safe leave, and what can it be used for?
- How much time can I take off work for safe leave?
- What is the definition of sexual assault?
- What is a bias crime?
- Who is eligible for safe leave?
- Who is not eligible for safe leave?
- How do I apply for safe leave?
- Do I have to tell my employer in advance that I’m going to be using safe leave?
- Will I have to give my employer any documentation?
- Can my employer deny me safe leave?
- Can my employer tell anyone else that I’m taking safe leave, or share any of the information I provided to them?
- Can my employer punish me for taking safe leave?
Questions added in English; Spanish coming soon!
We added 25 new statutes related to sexual offenses and workplace protections to our Selected Oregon Statutes page, and we added nine sexual offenses to our Oregon Crimes page.
We updated 56 resources and added 49 new resources on our Montana Courthouse Locations page.
On our Idaho Custody page, we created the following three questions defining key terms and explaining basic information:
We also revised Who can file for custody?, making the answer simpler and more responsive to the question. Spanish translation coming soon!
Also, to make it easier for users to find the information they seek, we moved Who can file for custody? and Can a parent who committed domestic violence get joint custody? to a new Who can get custody subsection, and we moved How will the judge decide if a de facto custodian should have custody? to The custody process subsection.
On our Alabama Custody page, we revised Can I file for visitation as a grandparent? Where can I file? and added If my grandchildren are adopted within the family, can I still get visits with them? and If the judge gives me grandparent visitation, can the children’s parent or guardian stop or change my visits? based on 2025 amendments to the laws about grandparent visitation. (The related statute Section 26-10E-29 replaced Section 26-10A-30 on our Selected Alabama Statutes page.) Spanish translation coming soon!
We added two statutes related to electronic stalking to our Selected Alabama Statutes page. We also added the related crimes to our Alabama Crimes page, in English and Spanish.
We updated the information for all 21 resources on our New Jersey Courthouse Locations page.
We added a new resource, Kern County Family Justice Center’s two locations, to our California Local Programs page in English and Spanish.
We added a resource, Youth HelpRoom, to our National Organizations- Chat Rooms and Message Boards page in English and Spanish.
We updated the information for the two resources on our U.S. Virgin Islands Courthouse Locations page.
On our Guam Download Court Forms page, we updated the links to forms on the Guam Courts website. We also updated the information for the resource on our Courthouse Locations page.
We created five new questions with information about child support laws on our Florida Child Support page:
- What is child support?
- How do I file for child support?
- How long does child support have to be paid?
- Can my child support order be changed?
- How will a judge decide the amount of a child support award?
Questions added in English; Spanish coming soon!
On our Virginia Custody page, we added a new question, Can the person who raped me get parental rights to my child?, which explains when parental rights can be restricted for a person who committed raped and conceived a child through the rape. Spanish coming soon!
We created general information on Child Support, Housing Laws, Workplace Protections, and Litigation Abuse in states where we do not yet have state-specific information. We will continue to update these pages as statutes change and are approved.
We updated the information for two resources on our National Organizations- Appeals page in English and Spanish.
In our Kansas Restraining Orders section, we revised five questions:
- What types of orders are there? How long do they last? based on a 2023 legislative amendment changing the length of final protection orders. We regret the delay!
- What is a mutual order and how can it hurt me? to improve readability.
- What protections can I get in a protection from abuse order? based on a 2023 legislative amendment adding that the order can order the abuser to not electronic tracking systems to know your location. We regret the delay!
- Step 4: The protection from abuse order hearing based on a 2023 legislative amendment changing the length of a final protection from abuse order. We regret the delay!
- How do I change or extend my order? based on a 2023 legislative amendment changing the length of a protection order extension. We regret the delay!
In our Kansas Custody section, we revised How can I get temporary custody? based on 2025 legislative changes to the law on protection from abuse orders.
We added three crimes related to human trafficking, lewd images, and child abuse to our Florida Crimes page and our Selected Florida Statutes page.
On our Oklahoma Restraining Orders page, we revised What types of protective orders are available? How long do they last? to update the links to protection order forms on the Oklahoma Courts website.
On our Oklahoma Crimes page, we revised If I am the victim of a crime, where can I get additional help in Oklahoma? to update the links to the websites Just for Victims and the Oklahoma Crime Victims Compensation Program.
On our Virginia Crimes page, we revised If I am the victim of a crime, where can I get additional help in Virginia? to update the link to the Virginia Victims Fund.
We created the new question How is paternity established? in our Virginia Custody section. In addition, we made the following revisions:
- Revised three questions to clarify the definitions of different types of custody:
- Revised What is visitation? to improve readability.
- Revised Can a non-parent get custody or visitation? based on 2025 legislative changes clarifying who can be a person with a legitimate interest in the custody of a child.
All changes made in English. Spanish coming soon!
On our Tennessee State Gun Laws page, we revised What will happen if the abuser tries to purchase a gun? to improve readability. We revised three other questions based on a 2025 legislative amendment adding a prohibition on ammunition:
- I am a victim of domestic violence and the abuser has a gun. Is that legal?
- If the abuser was convicted of a crime, can they have or buy a gun?
- What is the penalty for violating state firearm laws?
Changes made in English. Spanish coming soon!
We revised What is the definition of a “crime of violence”? on our Tennessee State Gun Laws page, based on a 2025 legislative amendment adding robbery to the definition of a crime of violence. Changes made in English and Spanish.
We created the new question I am being abused by someone I live with who is the same sex as me. Can they be charged with the crime of domestic violence? on our South Carolina Crimes page.
We revised Can I become the tenant after the abuser-tenant was excluded from the home? on our Virginia Housing Laws page to improve readability. Changes made in English; Spanish coming soon!
In our Virginia Protective Orders (for an Act of Violence, Force, or Threat) section, we revised six questions to improve readability:
- What is the definition of an act of violence, force, or threat?
- If the abuser lives in a different state, can I still get an order against him/her?
- Who is eligible for a protective order against an act of violence, force, or threat? In which court is it filed?
- Can the abuser find out my address or phone number from the order?
- How much does a protective order for an act of violence, force, or threat cost?
- How do I change or extend the final protective order?
We made the following three revisions based on 2025 legislative amendments:
- What types of protective orders for an act of violence, force, or threat are there? How long do they last? based on amendments that add military protective orders as sufficient proof to get an ex parte order.
- What protections can I get in a protective order for an act of violence, force, or threat? based on amendments adding the ability to order that social services be provided, and adding a requirement to notify the court if the abuser moves.
- What happens if the abuser violates the order? based on amendments adding a notification requirement for military protective orders.
In our Virginia Substantial Risk Order section, we revised two questions for readability:
- What protections can I get in a substantial risk order?
- How will a judge make a decision about whether to grant the order?
Changes made in English; Spanish coming soon!
In our Virginia Protective Orders (for Family Abuse) section, we revised five questions to improve readability:
- What if I do not qualify for a family abuse protective order?
- Step 1: Go to court to file a petition.
- Step 3: Service of process
- Step 4: The hearing
- What should I do when I leave the courthouse?
We made the following seven revisions based on 2025 legislative amendments:
- What types of protective orders are there? How long do they last? based on amendments that add military protective orders as sufficient proof to get an ex parte order, and allow an order to be granted for four years if the abuser had another order against them within the past 10 years.
- What protections can I get in an emergency protective order? based on amendments adding the ability to order that social services be provided.
- What protections can I get in a preliminary protective order? based on amendments adding the ability to order that social services be provided.
- What protections can I get in a final protective order? based on amendments adding the ability for a judge to order social services be provided if the abuser is a minor.
- Who can get a family abuse protective order? based on changes expanding who qualifies as a family or household member.
- What happens if the abuser violates the order? based on amendment adding a notification requirement for military protective orders.
- How do I change or extend the permanent order? based on amendments allowing a 4-year order to be issued in certain circumstances.
Changes made in English; Spanish coming soon!
We revised What will happen if the abuser tries to purchase a gun? on our Virginia State Gun Laws page to include Virginia’s criminal background check requirement. Changes made in English; Spanish coming soon!
We revised How do I register my protection order in Virginia? in our Virginia Restraining Orders section to update the links.
We added six new statutes related to sexual offenses and protective order procedures to our Selected Virginia Statutes page. We also added five crimes the abuser may have committed in Virginia to our Crimes page, in English and Spanish.
septiembre 2025
We translated into Spanish all 65 questions in our Hawai‘i Restraining Orders section. That makes Hawai‘i the 42nd state to be completely translated into Spanish on our website!
We added the resource Massachusetts Free Legal Answers to our Massachusetts Legal Assistance page, and we added the Massachusetts Legal Resource Finder to our Legal Assistance and Lawyer Referral Services pages. All information added in English and Spanish.
We added the new resource CT Safe Connect to our Connecticut Statewide Programs page, and added the Office of Victim Services to our Legal Assistance page. All information added in English and Spanish.
In our Colorado Restraining Orders section, we translated into Spanish Step 3 of the subsection Steps for getting a domestic violence protection order.
In our Tennessee Restraining Orders section, we translated into Spanish four recently revised questions.
In our Tennessee Custody section, we translated into Spanish one recently created and four recently revised questions.
On our Florida Custody page, we revised What does parental responsibility mean? Is it the same thing as custody? for better understanding by using simpler language and crosslinking to other definitions. Spanish edits coming soon!
We made the following revisions in our Washington Restraining Orders section in English (Spanish coming soon!):
- Revised based on a 2025 legislative amendment that discourages the use of mutual protection orders against each party, and to clarify what a judge can order against an abuser in a protection order:
- What protections can I get in a domestic violence protection order?
- What protections can I get in a stalking protection order?
- What protections can I get in a civil anti-harassment order?
- What protections can I get in a sexual assault protection order?
- What protections can I get in a vulnerable adult protection order?
- Revised to add information about the reasons that a judge cannot deny a protection order:
- Am I eligible to file for a domestic violence protection order?
- Am I eligible to file for a stalking protection order?
- Am I eligible to file for an anti-harassment protection order?
- Who can file for a vulnerable adult protection order?
- Who can file for an extreme risk protection order?
- Revised based on a 2025 legislative amendment giving the Department of Children, Youth, and Families the ability to file for a sexual assault protection order:
- Revised to improve readability:
- Domestic Violence Protection Orders
- Stalking Protection Orders
- Sexual Assault Protection Orders
- Civil Anti-Harassment Orders
- Vulnerable Adult Protection Orders
On our Maryland Divorce page, we updated the resource and link about divorce mediation in the question, Where can I find additional information about divorce laws in Maryland?,
On our Maryland Gun Laws page, we did the following:
- In I’ve read through all of this information, and I am still confused. What can I do?, we added a link for the Battered Women’s Justice Project’s National Center on Protection Orders and Full Faith & Credit; and
- We created a new question, I’m worried the abuser has a gun or is planning to get one. What can I do to protect myself?, which crosslinks to other information on our site that can help victims and survivors manage their risks and plan for their safety.
On our Maryland Restraining Orders page, we did the following:
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We revised two questions, Can the abuser have a gun? and Can I ask the court to hide (shield) my protective order case records from the public?, for better understanding and usefulness;
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We created a new question, What happens after I file a request to hide (shield) my protective order records?, explaining the hearing process and how a judge decides whether or not to shield protective order records;
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We revised Who can file for an extreme risk protective order? to provide a more accurate definition of ”cohabitant” for the purposes of getting a protective order.
On our Maryland Custody page, we updated one question and created two new questions based on 2025 amendments to the rules about custody mediation:
Changes made in English; Spanish coming soon!
On our Selected Maryland Statutes page, we added two new statutes about sexual consent and housing protections for people who call emergency services to their home.
We revised 20 questions in our Washington Restraining Orders section as follows, based on 2025 legislative amendments. Changes made in English; Spanish coming soon!
- Revised based on a 2025 legislative amendment adding commercial sexual exploitation to the definition of protection orders:
- Domestic Violence Protection Orders
- Stalking Protection Orders
- Civil Anti-Harassment Orders
- Sexual Assault Protection Orders
- Vulnerable Adult Protection Orders
- Extreme Risk Protection Orders
- Revised the question ‘How do I extend my protection order?” in the following sections, based on 2025 legislative amendments adding a renewal option for minors protected by a protection order and adding commercial sexual exploitation to the definition of protection orders:
In addition, we added 13 new statutes related to sexual offenses with a minor and the definition of a personal aide to our Selected Washington Statutes page, and added 12 crimes to the possible list of Crimes that an abuser may have committed in Washington.
We reviewed and expanded our Choosing and Working with a Lawyer page, to provide survivors with information about options if they cannot afford an attorney or are having difficulties working with the lawyer they have. This includes seven revised questions as well as the following four new questions:
In our Rhode Island legal information pages, we did the following:
- Revised What if the abuser violates the order? in our Domestic Violence Restraining Orders section, based on a 2025 legislative amendment adding a domestic training requirement for prosecutors and law enforcement.
- Revised two questions in our State Gun Laws section, in English and Spanish:
- If the abuser has been convicted of a crime, can they keep or buy a gun? based on a 2025 legislative amendment adding gun crimes to the definition of crimes of violence.”
- What is a “crime of violence”? to improve readability.
- Revised two other questions in our State Gun Laws section in English (Spanish coming soon!)
- I am a victim of domestic violence and the abuser has a gun. Is that legal? to improve clarity and readability.
- I do not have a restraining order against the abuser and they have not been convicted of a crime. Can they have a gun? based on a 2025 legislative amendment adding gun crimes to the definition of crimes of violence.”
We created the new question Can my order be ended early (extinguished)? in our Maine Protection from Abuse Orders to clarify that the abuser cannot file to terminate an order. We also revised five other questions:
- What is the legal definition of abuse in Maine? based on 2025 legislative amendments adding the acts of coercion and threatening to share certain private images to the definition of abuse.
- What types of protection from abuse orders are there? How long do they last? based on a 2025 legislative amendment adding that a judge can consider active military protective orders when granting a temporary protection from abuse order.
- Who can get a protection from abuse order? to incorporate information on older adult abuse.
- Can a minor file for an order? based on a 2025 legislative change allowing the child to file directly for a protection from abuse order.
- Can the order be extended or modified? based on a 2025 legislative amendment adding the option to ask for a final order to be restored and extended.
In our Maine Protection from Harassment Orders section, we revised two questions:
- What is the legal definition of harassment in Maine? based on a 2025 legislative amendment adding the acts of doxing of a minor and threatening to commit unauthorized dissemination of certain private images to the definition.
- What kinds of protection from harassment orders are there? How long do they last? based on a 2025 legislative amendment adding that a judge can consider active military protective orders when granting a temporary protection from harassment order.
In our Maine Divorce section, we revised What types of alimony are there? based on a change in the law defining economic abuse by a spouse.
In our Maine Housing Laws section, we revised two questions:
- Who is protected under this housing law? to add that a tenant who has been sexually harassed by their landlord is protected.
- What documents do I need to give my landlord to get out of my lease if I am a victim? based on a 2025 legislative amendment to the types of documentation you can give to your landlord.
All changes made in English; Spanish coming soon!
Finally, we added six statutes related to court procedures and crimes to our Selected Maine Statute page, and added the crime of doxing of a minor to the possible Crimes that an abuser may have committed, in English and Spanish.
On our Mississippi Custody page, we created the new subsection Steps to file for custody, which reorganized the steps into six separate questions, making it easier for users to find the information they need:
- Considerations before filing
- Step 1: Prepare for the case
- Step 2: File and serve the custody petition
- Step 3: Preliminary court dates
- Step 4: Reach an agreement or go to trial
- Step 5: Options if you disagree with the order
These questions explain the usual stages in a custody case and cross-link to other relevant information on our website.
In our Hawai‘i Housing Laws section, we translated into Spanish 8 recently revised questions and the recently created question Can I choose any date I want for my early termination date?
In our Hawai‘i Workplace Protections section, we translated into Spanish 10 recently revised questions and the recently created question I’m not a domestic violence victim, but I was served with a subpoena to testify in court. Are there any employment protections for me?
In our Hawai‘i Custody section, we translated into Spanish 16 recently revised questions and the two recently created questions, What are “residual parental rights and responsibilities”? and What does “meaningful contact” mean?
We revised our Arkansas Crimes page, adding eight crimes that the abuser could have committed in the state. We also added 10 new statutes related to human trafficking and sexual offenses to our Selected Arkansas Statutes page. Changes made in English and Spanish.
In our Washington Custody section, we created the new question What are parenting functions? to simplify definitions. In addition, we revised the following seven questions to improve readability:
- What is a parenting plan?
- Should I start a court case to ask for supervised visitation?
- Can a non-parent file for custody of a child?
- Step 1: Prepare for the case
- If the parent with residential custody or visitation rights is in the military and gets deployed, what happens to that parent’s custody or visitation?
- What happens if I don’t give notice before I move?
- How will a judge decide if I can move with my child?
Changes made in English and Spanish!
We added 7 new crimes related to sexual offenses with minors to our Washington Crimes page, and added eight statutes to our Selected Washington Statutes page related to custody and sexual offenses with minors.
In our Washington Custody section, we made the following updates based on 2025 legislative amendments to the limitations a judge can or must put on parenting time to protect a child:
- We created nine new questions:
- How will a judge determine decision-making authority?
- How will a judge make a decision about residential time?
- Can I change the state where the case is being heard?
- What if the limitations apply to both parents?
- What is willful abandonment?
- What is a sex offense against a child?
- What is abusive use of conflict?
- What are protective actions?
- What are the limitations a judge can place on the abusive parent’s contact with my child?
- We revised six questions:
- Who can be part of the parenting plan?
- If the abusive parent committed domestic violence or a sex offense, can they get decision-making powers?
- If the abusive parent committed domestic violence or a sex offense, can they get residential parenting time?
- If the abusive parent sexually abused my child, will the judge allow contact?
- If a parent who is not abusive lives with someone who committed domestic violence or a sex offense, can that parent get residential parenting time?
- If a parenting plan is already in place, how can I get it changed?
We also revised Step 2: File and serve the custody petition based on 2025 legislative amendments that added new requirements to requests for temporary parenting plans.
All changes made in English. Spanish coming soon!
We updated the information for 27 resources on our Maine Courthouse Locations page.
On our Washington Litigation Abuse page, we revised Am I eligible to request an order restricting abusive litigation? based on 2025 legislative amendments clarifying the restrictions that might make a restricted parenting plan a basis for finding abusive litigation. Changes made in English; Spanish coming soon!
We completely rewrote and expanded our General Parental Kidnapping page, to provide survivors with more up-to-date information. This includes 10 new questions:
- What is parental kidnapping? Which state’s laws apply?
- What state has the power to decide the custody of my child?
- If I need legal advice, do I talk to a criminal defense lawyer or a custody lawyer?
- Can a parent be charged with parental kidnapping without leaving the state?
- If I plan to move to another state, does it matter whether or not we have a custody order in place?
- We’re in the middle of a court case involving my children. Can I take them out of state for any amount of time?
- How can I keep the other parent from moving out of the state or country with our children?
- If I’m a victim of domestic violence, is that a defense to being charged with parental kidnapping?
- Can I get temporary emergency custody of my child?
- If I get temporary emergency custody in a state where I have just arrived, how long will the custody order last?
Spanish coming soon!
Based on a recent Arkansas statute update, we expanded the definition of domestic abuse on our Domestic Violence Orders of Protection page to include that a family or household member commits domestic abuse when they secretly watch, take photos, or record videos of the victim, as described in the crime of video voyeurism. We made this change in both English and Spanish.
To prepare our Hawai‘i Restraining Orders section for translation into Spanish, we revised for clarity and accuracy 62 questions and created three new questions:
- What is the legal definition of coercive control?
- What is the legal definition of extreme psychological abuse?
- Who is a “reciprocal beneficiary”?
We also added three new statutes to our Selected Hawai‘i Statutes page. With the completion of this section, we have finished reviewing Hawai‘i for translation.
On our New York Restraining Orders page, we revised:
- How do I get an extreme risk protection order? to include additional information about what a petitioner should include when filing for an order.
- Who can file for an extreme risk protection order? based on 2024 amendments adding law enforcement agencies to the list of who can file for an ERPO. We regret the delay!
- Can I change (modify) or extend my order? to reflect the changes made in 2024 to allow litigants to submit an affirmation in lieu of an affidavit. We regret the delay!
On our New York Divorce page, we revised:
- If the divorce is uncontested, what are the steps I need to follow to begin the divorce? to reflect the changes made in 2024 to allow litigants to submit an affirmation in lieu of an affidavit.
- What are the grounds for divorce? to clarify the process when the ground is a legal separation agreement.
We also added the new question “What is the difference between an affidavit and an affirmation?” to our Divorce and Restraining Orders pages to more fully explain the changes made in 2024 to allow litigants to submit an affirmation in lieu of an affidavit. All of these changes were made in English; Spanish coming soon!
Finally, we also added one related statute to our Selected New York Statutes page.
On our New York Crimes page, we added the following crimes in English:
- Reckless assault of a child
- Gang assault in the second degree
- Gang assault in the first degree
- Luring a child
- Aggravated strangulation
- Labor trafficking; accomplice
- Aggravated labor trafficking
- Unlawfully concealing a will
- Eavesdropping; definition of terms
- Eavesdropping
- Tampering with private communications
- Unlawfully obtaining communications information
- Unlawful dissemination of a personal image; definitions, application
- Unlawful dissemination of a personal image
Spanish coming soon! We also added 13 related statutes to our Selected New York Statutes page.
Based on 2025 legislative changes, we revised I am the child’s family member (grandparent or sibling). Can I get visitation? in our Georgia Custody section, to clarify that a grandparent may not only file, but also modify or dismiss a visitation petition, only once every two years. We also added the updated statute to our Selected Georgia Statutes page.
On our Alaska Crimes page, we added the following new crimes and definitions related to abuse:
- Assault in the presence of a child
- Human trafficking in the first degree
- Human trafficking in the second degree
- Definitions
- Enticement of a minor
- Obtaining a signature by deception
- Contributing to the delinquency of a minor
- Criminal impersonation in the first degree
- Criminal impersonation in the second degree
- Unlawful marrying
- Endangering the welfare of a vulnerable adult in the first degree
- Endangering the welfare of a vulnerable adult in the second degree
- Definition of vulnerable adult
- Failure to report a violent crime committed against a child
- Failure to report a violent crime committed against an adult
- Failure to register as a sex offender or child kidnapper in the first degree
- Failure to register as a sex offender or child kidnapper in the second degree
We also added 15 related statutes to our Selected Alaska Statutes page.
On our New York Crimes page, we added the following in English and Spanish to allow users to better understand the crimes listed on this page:
We added 13 new resources and updated 89 resources on our California Courthouse Locations page in English and Spanish.
We updated 82 resources on our Arkansas Courthouse Locations page.
On our Michigan Custody page, we created the new subsection Steps to file for custody, which reorganized the steps into six separate questions, making it easier for users to find the information they need:
- Considerations before filing
- Step 1: Prepare for the case
- Step 2: File and serve the custody petition
- Step 3: Preliminary court dates
- Step 4: Reach an agreement or go to trial
- Step 5: Options if you disagree with the order
These questions explain the usual stages in a custody case and cross-link to other relevant information on our website.
We also reorganized the page to make it easier for users to find the information they are looking for by doing the following:
- We moved the questions Can a parent who committed violence get custody or parenting time?, Can a parent who was convicted of sexual assault get custody or parenting time?, and Can a grandparent file for grandparenting time? to the new subsection called Who can get custody or parenting time; and
- We renamed the subsection formerly called “Establishing custody and visitation rights” to How the custody process works, to use simpler language and to distinguish it from the new Steps to file for custody subsection
In addition, in the question Can a parent who committed violence get custody or parenting time?, we replaced the word “visitation” with “parenting time,” which is the term used in Michigan. Changes made in English and Spanish!
On our North Carolina Custody page, we created the new subsection Steps to file for custody, which reorganized the steps into six separate questions, making it easier for users to find the information they need:
- Considerations before filing
- Step 1: Prepare for the case
- Step 2: File and serve the custody petition
- Step 3: Preliminary court dates
- Step 4: Reach an agreement or go to trial
- Step 5: Options if you disagree with the order
These questions explain the usual stages in a custody case and cross-link to other relevant information on our website.
In addition, we created the following three new questions in our How the custody process works subsection:
- Is there a fee to file for custody? What if I can’t afford it?
- Do I have to take parenting classes?
- What is mediation? Do I have to do it?
Changes made in English and Spanish!
We also added one related statute (7A-494. Custody and Visitation Mediation Program established) to our North Caroline Statutes page.
On our Texas Custody page, we created the new subsection Steps to file for conservatorship (custody), which reorganized the steps into six separate questions, making it easier for users to find the information they need:
- Considerations before filing
- Step 1: Prepare for the case
- Step 2: File and serve the petition
- Step 3: Preliminary court dates
- Step 4: Reach an agreement or go to trial
- Step 5: Options if you disagree with the order
These questions explain the usual stages in a custody case, also called a “Suit Affecting the Parent-Child Relationship,” and cross-link to other relevant information on our website. Changes made in English and Spanish!
On our New Jersey Custody page, we created the new subsection Steps to file for custody, which reorganized the steps into six separate questions, making it easier for users to find the information they need:
- Considerations before filing
- Step 1: Prepare for the case
- Step 2: File and serve the custody petition
- Step 3: Preliminary court dates
- Step 4: Reach an agreement or go to trial
- Step 5: Options if you disagree with the order
These questions explain the usual stages in a custody case and cross-link to other relevant information on our website. Changes made in English and Spanish!
On our Idaho Custody page, we added a new subsection called Steps to file for custody, which reorganized the process into six separate questions. This makes it easier for users to find the information they need:
- Considerations before filing
- Step 1: Prepare for the case
- Step 2: File and serve the custody petition
- Step 3: Attend preliminary court dates
- Step 4: Reach an agreement or go to trial
- Step 5: Options if you disagree with the order
These questions outline the typical stages in a custody case and include links to other relevant information on our website. Changes made in English and Spanish!
On our Utah Custody page, we created the new subsection Steps to file for custody, which reorganized the steps into six separate questions, making it easier for users to find the information they need:
- Considerations before filing
- Step 1: Prepare for the case
- Step 2: File and serve the custody petition
- Step 3: Preliminary court dates
- Step 4: Reach an agreement or go to trial
- Step 5: Options if you disagree with the order
These questions explain the usual stages in a custody case and cross-link to other relevant information on our website.
To prepare our Hawai‘i State Gun Laws section for translation into Spanish, we revised for clarity and accuracy 14 questions, and we created the new question What is the definition of a crime of violence in Hawai‘i? We also added two new statutes to our Selected Hawai‘i Statutes page.
We translated into Spanish our entire Hawai‘i State Gun Laws section.
On our Nevada Restraining Orders page, we revised:
- What types of orders are there? How long do they last? based on the repeal of Local Rule for the 8th District in Clark County EDCR 5.22(k).
- What protections can I get in an order of protection? based on a 2025 amendment giving judges the ability to include an order for a victim to take possession of a pet as part of an order of protection.
On our Nevada Custody page, we revised Who will the mediator talk to besides me and the other parent? to clarify the mediation process and update the citations based on revisions to local rules.
On our Nevada Child Support page, we revised:
- Is the cost of child care included in a child support order? based on a 2025 amendment requiring judges to include written findings about the cost of child care and the parents’ ability to pay.
- How will the amount of child support be decided? to improve clarity and readability for the formula to calculate child support based on the number of children and parental income.
All of these changes were made in English; Spanish coming soon! We also added 2 statutes related to custody and child support to our Selected Nevada Statutes page.
On our North Dakota Crimes page, we added the question What is an order prohibiting contact? to explain this type of orders that is available to a crime victim.
On our North Dakota Child Support page, we:
- added the new question How will child support payments be collected and provided to me? based on 2025 amendments clarifying the process for child support.
- revised the question How long will child support payments last? based on 2025 amendments that changed the procedure for when child support that continues past age 18.
- updated the link to the current child support guidelines on the state government’s website in How much child support can I get?
On our North Dakota Custody page, we:
- added the new question What if one parent interferes with the parenting time of the other parent? based on a 2025 amendment about the replacement time available if one parent interferes with the other’s parenting time.
- revised the question What is mediation? based on 2025 amendments changing the mediation process.
We also added one related statute related to custody to our Selected North Dakota Statutes page.
On our Massachusetts Custody page, we created the new subsection Steps to file for custody with six new questions, which explain the usual stages in a custody case and cross-link to other relevant information on our website:
- Considerations before filing
- Step 1: Prepare for the case
- Step 2: File and serve the custody petition
- Step 3: Preliminary court dates
- Step 4: Reach an agreement or go to trial
- Step 5: Options if you disagree with the order
Changes made in English and Spanish!
We translated into Spanish recent revisions made to the following questions in our Massachusetts Child Support and Custody sections to use the new non-gendered terms (i.e., “parentage” replaces “paternity” and “person who gave birth to the child” replaces “mother”):
On our Oregon Custody page, we created the new subsection Steps to file for custody, which reorganized the steps into six separate questions, making it easier for users to find the information they need:
- Considerations before filing
- Step 1: Prepare for the case
- Step 2: File and serve the custody petition
- Step 3: Preliminary court dates
- Step 4: Reach an agreement or go to trial
- Step 5: Options if you disagree with the order
These questions explain the usual stages in a custody case and cross-link to other relevant information on our website. Changes made in English and Spanish!
On our West Virginia Custody page, we created the new subsection Steps to file for custodial responsibility (custody), which reorganized the steps into six separate questions, making it easier for users to find the information they need:
- Considerations before filing
- Step 1: Prepare for the case
- Step 2: File and serve the custody petition
- Step 3: Preliminary court dates
- Step 4: Reach an agreement or go to trial
- Step 5: Options if you disagree with the order
These questions explain the usual stages in a custody case and cross-link to other relevant information on our website.
On our Guam Custody page, we created the new subsection Steps to file for custody with six new questions, which explain the usual stages in a custody case and cross-link to other relevant information on our website:
We updated our West Virginia Suing an Abuser for Money page based on a 2025 legislative amendment raising the ceiling for claims in the magistrate’s court to $20,000.
On our West Virginia Restraining Orders page, we updated the question What is the legal definition of a sexual offense or an attempted sexual offense? to more directly link the full list of sexual crimes that qualify someone to get a personal safety order.
On our New Mexico Housing Laws page, we updated the following questions in English and Spanish based on 2025 legislative changes that expanded the definitions included in these statutes:
- Can my landlord evict me because of something the abuser did?
- If the abuser and I live together, can my landlord evict the abuser but allow me to stay?
- What is a “substantial violation” of the rental agreement?
We also added one related statute to our Selected New Mexico Statutes page.
Based on 2025 legislative changes, we revised What protections can I get in a family violence protective order? and What protections can I get in a dating violence protective order? in our Georgia Restraining Orders section, to include protection for household pets. We also added the updated statute to our Selected Georgia Statutes page.
Changes made in English and Spanish.
We updated eight resources on our Massachusetts Courthouse Locations to add information about the Court Service Centers offering free services to court users. All changes made in English and Spanish.
On our West Virginia Crimes page, we added one section of definitions related to the filming of sexually explicit conduct of minors. We also added one related statute to our Selected West Virginia Statutes page.
On our Florida Courthouse Locations page, we added five intake locations where a person can file for a domestic violence injunction in Miami-Dade County. Additions made in English and Spanish.
On our South Dakota Custody page, we created the new subsection Steps to file for custody, which reorganized the steps into six separate questions, making it easier for users to find the information they need:
- Considerations before filing
- Step 1: Prepare for the case
- Step 2: File and serve the custody petition
- Step 3: Preliminary court dates
- Step 4: Reach an agreement or go to trial
- Step 5: Options if you disagree with the order
These questions explain the usual stages in a custody case and cross-link to other relevant information on our website.
We also changed the titles of two subsections, The process of getting custodial responsibility (custody) and visitation and Who can get custodial responsibility (custody) or visitation, to use South Dakota’s term “custodial responsibility” and better reflect the questions included in each subsection.
agosto 2025
On our Forms of Abuse page, we translated into Spanish the recently added Spiritual Abuse section, which includes the following four questions:
To prepare our Hawai‘i Housing Laws section for translation into Spanish, we revised for clarity and accuracy eight questions:
- I am a victim of domestic violence. Am I allowed to end my rental agreement early?
- If I end my rental agreement, will my roommate or family members have to move too?
- What steps do I need to take to end my rental agreement?
- How much longer will I have to pay my rent? Can I be charged a penalty for terminating my lease early?
- What happens to the security deposit if the lease is terminated early? What about prepaid rent?
- Can I ask my landlord to change my locks?
- Can my landlord tell others that I am a victim of domestic violence?
- I’m a landlord, and one of my tenants has committed domestic violence against the other tenant in the unit. What are my options?
We also created the new question Can I choose any date I want for my early termination date? and added a new statute to our Selected Hawai‘i Statutes page.
On our New Mexico Custody page, we created the new subsection Steps to file for custody, which reorganized the steps into six separate questions, making it easier for users to find the information they need:
- Considerations before filing
- Step 1: Prepare for the case
- Step 2: File and serve the custody petition
- Step 3: Preliminary court dates
- Step 4: Reach an agreement or go to trial
- Step 5: Options if you disagree with the order
These questions explain the usual stages in a custody case and cross-link to other relevant information on our website.
We also reorganized the page to make it easier for users to find the information they are looking for by doing the following:
- We moved the questions What are some pros and cons of starting a custody case? and Should I start a case to ask for supervised visitation? to the Basic information and definitions subsection.
- We moved the questions Who can file for custody?, Can an abusive parent get custody or visitation?, If my child was conceived from rape, can the offender’s parental rights be terminated?, and Can grandparents get visitation? to a new subsection called Who can get custody or visitation.
- We moved the questions How will a judge make a decision about custody?, Can I get temporary custody as part of my protection order (for domestic violence) against the other parent?, If the other parent and I make an agreement about custody, will the judge accept our agreement? to the The custody process subsection.
Changes made in English and Spanish!
On our Pennsylvania Custody page, we created the new subsection Steps to file for custody, which reorganized the steps into six separate questions, making it easier for users to find the information they need:
- Considerations before filing
- Step 1: Prepare for the case
- Step 2: File and serve the custody petition
- Step 3: Preliminary court dates
- Step 4: Reach an agreement or go to trial
- Step 5: Options if you disagree with the order
These questions explain the usual stages in a custody case and cross-link to other relevant information on our website. Changes made in English and Spanish!
On our Oklahoma Custody page, we created the new subsection Steps to file for custody, which reorganized the steps into six separate questions, making it easier for users to find the information they need:
- Considerations before filing
- Step 1: Prepare for the case
- Step 2: File and serve the custody petition
- Step 3: Preliminary court dates
- Step 4: Reach an agreement or go to trial
- Step 5: Options if you disagree with the order
These questions explain the usual stages in a custody case and cross-link to other relevant information on our website. Changes made in English and Spanish!
On our Nevada Custody page, we created the new subsection Steps to file for custody, which reorganized the steps into six separate questions, making it easier for users to find the information they need:
- Considerations before filing
- Step 1: Prepare for the case
- Step 2: File and serve the custody petition
- Step 3: Preliminary court dates
- Step 4: Reach an agreement or go to trial
- Step 5: Options if you disagree with the order
These questions explain the usual stages in a custody case and cross-link to other relevant information on our website. Changes made in English and Spanish!
On our Nevada Crimes page, we added the crime of “demands in exchange for removal of intimate image” in English and Spanish. We also added one related statute to our Selected Nevada Statutes page.
In our New Hampshire Custody section, we created the new question What is family reunification therapy? Are there limits on when it can be ordered?, based on a new section of custody law first passed in 2024. In addition, we revised the following questions:
- What is a parenting plan? What is a parenting schedule?, based on 2025 legislative amendments changing the definition of a parenting schedule;
- What factors will a judge consider when deciding parental rights and responsibilities?, to add state policy information relating to parenting plans; and
- What can I do if the other parent violates the parenting plan?, based on 2025 legislative amendments expanding the procedure and remedies for violation of a parenting plan.
We revised Who can file for child support? How long will child support last? in our New Hampshire Child Support section, based on 2025 legislative amendments clarifying when child support ends.
We revised the question What protections can I get in a protection order? in our South Dakota Restraining Orders section to improve clarity regarding what a protection order can include.
We revised two questions on our South Dakota State Gun Laws page, based on 2025 legislative amendments to laws on controlled substances, and to improve readability:
- I am a victim of domestic violence and the abuser has a gun. Is that legal?
- If the abuser has been convicted of a crime, can s/he keep or buy a gun?
We created the new question What is family reunification therapy? Is it ordered for victims of abuse? on our South Dakota Custody page, based on a new section of custody law first passed in 2024. We also added one new statute related to custody and visitation disputes to our Selected South Dakota Statutes page.
We added “child molestation,” “enticing a child for indecent purposes,” “incest,” and “cruelty to animals” as possible crimes the abuser may have committed to our Georgia Crimes page and our Selected Georgia Statutes page.
On our South Carolina Suing an Abuser for Money page, we updated the links to the South Carolina Judicial Department’s FAQ about Magistrate Court in English and Spanish.
To prepare our Hawai‘i Workplace Protections section for translation into Spanish, we revised for clarity and accuracy 10 questions and created the new question I’m not a domestic violence victim, but I was served with a subpoena to testify in court. Are there any employment protections for me?
On our South Carolina Crimes page, we added the following crimes in Spanish and English:
- Disseminating intimate images without consent
- First degree sexual exploitation of a minor
- Second degree sexual exploitation of a minor
- Third degree sexual exploitation of a minor
We also added five related statutes to our Selected South Carolina Statutes page.
To prepare our Hawai‘i Custody section for translation into Spanish, we revised 16 questions for clarity and accuracy and we created two new questions, What are “residual parental rights and responsibilities”? and What does “meaningful contact” mean?
We also added one new statute related to custody to our Selected Hawai‘i Statutes page.
In our Tennessee Restraining Orders section, we revised the following questions:
- What is the legal definition of domestic abuse? to expand the definition to include acts committed on behalf of the abuser by a third party .
- What types of protection orders are there? How long do they last? based on 2025 legislative changes adding the option to obtain a lifetime order.
- Am I eligible to file for a protection order? based on 2025 legislative changes to the eligibility for a restraining order.
- Can a minor get a protection order? to improve readability.
Changes made in English; Spanish coming soon.
In our Tennessee Custody section, we created the question What is family reunification therapy? Is it ordered for victims of abuse? based on a new section of custody law first passed in 2024.
We also revised the following questions, based on 2025 legislative changes:
- When can a grandparent file a petition for visitation rights? to add the option for legal fees to be awarded.
- Can a parent who committed violence or abandoned the child get custody or visitation? to add the rebuttable presumption that the abusive parent will pay the costs of supervised visitation.
- If the other parent is convicted of a serious crime, can I file to terminate his/her parental rights? to add additional information about what factors can allow for the termination of parental rights.
- How will a judge make a decision about custody? to expand and clarify the factors a judge must consider in a custody case.
Changes made in English; Spanish coming soon.
We added four new statutes related to crimes and custody to our Selected Tennessee Statutes page, and added “cruelty to animals” to the list of possible crimes the abuser may have committed in Tennessee on our Crimes page.
We added 11 new statutes related to sexual offenses and child abuse to our Mississippi Selected Statutes and Crimes pages.
On our South Dakota Crimes page, we updated the links to victims’ services and victims’ compensation programs.
We revised Is spoofing illegal? in our Abuse Using Technology section to update the links to information about the Truth in Caller ID Act on the FCC’s website. Changes made in English and Spanish.
We revised Who is protected under this housing law? on our Maine Housing Laws page to update links to external sources offering additional information on the basic tenants’ rights in Maine and the Fair Housing Act. Changes made in English and Spanish.
We revised Where can I find additional information about divorce in Virginia? on our Virginia Divorce page to link to the Virginia State Bar’s website offering basic legal information about divorce and separation. Changes made in English and Spanish.
In our Mississippi Child Support section, we edited How will the child support be paid to me? and How is the amount of child support calculated? to improve clarity and readability.
In our Mississippi Custody section, we edited Can the non-custodial parent have access the child’s medical, health, and school records? to improve clarity and readability.
We revised the question What are the standard parenting guidelines and how do they affect my case? in our South Dakota Custody section to update the link to the current standard parenting guidelines on the South Dakota Supreme Court’s website.
We revised our Kansas Suing an Abuser for Money page in English and Spanish to update the link to the Kansas Judicial Council’s information on small claims court.
On our Puerto Rico Custody page, we created the new subsection Steps to file for custody, which reorganized the steps into six separate questions, making it easier for users to find the information they need:
- Considerations before filing
- Step 1: Prepare for the case
- Step 2: File and serve the custody petition
- Step 3: Preliminary court dates
- Step 4: Reach an agreement or go to trial
- Step 5: Options if you disagree with the order
These questions explain the usual stages in a custody case and cross-link to other relevant information on our website. Changes made in English and Spanish!
On our New Hampshire Custody page, we created the new subsection Steps to file for custody, which reorganized the steps into six separate questions, making it easier for users to find the information they need:
- Considerations before filing
- Step 1: Prepare for the case
- Step 2: File and serve the custody petition
- Step 3: Preliminary court dates
- Step 4: Reach an agreement or go to trial
- Step 5: Options if you disagree with the order
These questions explain the usual stages in a custody case and cross-link to other relevant information on our website.
We also reorganized the page to make it easier for users to find the information they are looking for by doing the following:
- We moved the questions Can a parent who committed domestic violence, child abuse, or sexual assault get parental rights and responsibilities? and Can a grandparent or step-parent get visitation? to the new subsection called Who can get parental rights and responsibilities (custody) or visitation;
- We moved the question What is mediation? to the subsection Basic info and definitions, and we added crosslinks to the related questions about mediation; and
- We moved the questions Who gets sent to mediation?, If I am a domestic violence victim, do I have to do mediation?, and What happens in mediation? to subsection The custody process.
On our Nebraska Custody page, we created the new subsection Steps to file for custody, which reorganized the steps into six separate questions, making it easier for users to find the information they need:
- Considerations before filing
- Step 1: Prepare for the case
- Step 2: File and serve the custody petition
- Step 3: Preliminary court dates
- Step 4: Reach an agreement or go to trial
- Step 5: Options if you disagree with the order
These questions explain the usual stages in a custody case and cross-link to other relevant information on our website.
We also reorganized the page to make it easier for users to find the information they are looking for by doing the following:
- We moved the question Can a parent who has committed violence or is a registered sex offender get custody? to the new subsection called Who can get custody and visitation subsection; and
- We moved the question If I move to a new state, can I transfer my child custody case there? to the new subsection called After an order is in place.
Changes made in English and Spanish!
On our North Dakota Custody page, we created the new subsection Steps to file for parental rights and responsibilities (custody), which reorganized the steps into six separate questions, making it easier for users to find the information they need:
- Considerations before filing
- Step 1: Prepare for the case
- Step 2: File and serve the custody petition
- Step 3: Preliminary court dates
- Step 4: Reach an agreement or go to trial
- Step 5: Options if you disagree with the order
These questions explain the usual stages in a custody case and cross-link to other relevant information on our website.
On our Maryland Custody page, we created the new subsection Steps to file for custody, which reorganized the steps into six separate questions, making it easier for users to find the information they need:
- Considerations before filing
- Step 1: Prepare for the case
- Step 2: File and serve the custody petition
- Step 3: Preliminary court dates
- Step 4: Reach an agreement or go to trial
- Step 5: Options if you disagree with the order
These questions explain the usual stages in a custody case and cross-link to other relevant information on our website. Changes made in English and Spanish!
On our Maine Custody page, we created the new subsection Steps to file for parental rights and responsibilities (custody), which reorganized the steps into six separate questions, making it easier for users to find the information they need:
- Considerations before filing
- Step 1: Prepare for the case
- Step 2: File and serve the custody petition
- Step 3: Preliminary court dates
- Step 4: Reach an agreement or go to trial
- Step 5: Options if you disagree with the order
These questions explain the usual stages in a custody case and cross-link to other relevant information on our website. Changes made in English and Spanish! We also added two related statutes about mediation and parenting and support when parents live apart.
On our Arizona Custody page, we created the new subsection Steps to file for legal decision-making and parenting time, which reorganized the steps into six separate questions, making it easier for users to find the information they need:
- Considerations before filing
- Step 1: Prepare for the case
- Step 2: File and serve the petition
- Step 3: Preliminary court dates
- Step 4: Reach an agreement or go to trial
- Step 5: Options if you disagree with the order
These questions explain the usual stages in a custody case and cross-link to other relevant information on our website. Changes made in English and Spanish!
On our Idaho Crimes page, we updated the name of the crime, Use of telecommunication to annoy, terrify, threaten, intimidate, harass, or offend, based on a 2024 amendment. This reflects the legislative change to include in this crime abuse and harassment using all forms of telecommunication, not just by telephone. For the same reason, on the Restraining Orders page, we changed the name of this crime in the note of this question: What is the legal definition of telephone harassment in Idaho? These updates were made in both English and Spanish. We also updated the title of this crime on our Selected State Statutes page.
We translated into Spanish 7 questions on our Hawaii Divorce page, as well as our Download Court Forms, Crimes, and Suing an Abuser for Money pages.
On our Kentucky Restraining Orders section, we translated into Spanish 53 recently revised and six new questions. That makes Kentucky the 41st state to be completely translated into Spanish on our website!
On our Forms of Abuse page, we translated into Spanish six recently revised and eight recently added questions in our Emotional and Psychological Abuse section.
julio 2025
We updated the resource Global Refuge, formerly the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, on our National Organizations-Immigration page.
We updated the contact information for the resource Harney Helping Organization for Personal Emergencies on our Oregon Local Programs page in English and Spanish.
We updated the contact information for the resource AshaKiran on our Alabama Local Programs page in English and Spanish.
We translated into Spanish 16 recently revised questions in our New Jersey Restraining Orders section to clarify the name of the protective order for sexual offenses, stalking, and cyber-harassment and who is eligible for one.
We translated into Spanish two recently revised questions in our Utah State Gun Laws section, six recently revised questions in our Utah Civil Stalking Injunctions section, and six recently revised questions in our Utah Custody section.
We translated into Spanish recent revisions to our general Child Support, Housing Laws, Workplace Protections, and Litigation Abuse pages.
We translated into Spanish 16 recently added crimes in our New Mexico Crimes page.
On our Oklahoma Restraining Orders section, we translated into Spanish the following recently revised questions:
We translated into Spanish one recently created question in our South Carolina Custody section called If my child was conceived through rape, can the offender’s rights be terminated?




