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Legal Services
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Domestic Violence – Legal Services
Our attorneys provide representation for victims of domestic violence in divorce, custody, visitation, Orders of Protection (OP) and other issues presented in Cook County’s Domestic Relations Division. Services include:
- Divorce
- Child Custody
- Orders of Protection
- Civil No Contact Order
- Legal Advocacy
* Services are also available in Spanish, Polish and Arabic.
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Sexual Violence – Legal Services
If you are a survivor of sexual violence, you have rights under the law even if you did not report the assault to the police, if it happened some time ago, or if you were told that there is not enough evidence for a criminal case. Services include:
- Representation on Civil No Contact Orders
- Legal Advocacy with issues stemming from the assault
- Trainings to Police Departments, Prosecutors, Colleges & Universities, and Social Service Agencies
* Services are also available in Spanish, Polish and Arabic.
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Immigration Legal Services
If you are a victim of domestic violence or sexual assault, you may be able to petition for immigration status based on the abuse you suffered. Many abusers use the victim’s lack of immigration status to control, threaten, and abuse their victim. Many victims can petition for themselves without requiring the assistance or involvement of the abuser.
Immigration legal services at Life Span are free. Although Life Span does not cover the costs of USCIS fees for petitions, many of our clients apply for fee waivers that cover the cost of the application and fingerprint fees. Services include:
- VAWA Self-Petition
- U Visa
- Battered Spouse Waiver
* Services are available in Spanish, Polish and Arabic.
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Domestic Relations Services
Attorneys with an expertise in civil litigation involving issues crucial to domestic violence cases provide direct legal representation in domestic relations to victims of abuse. Attorneys provide representation in a full range of family law matters, including civil orders of protection, dissolution of marriage, custody, visitation and child support.
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Chicago Order of Protection Project
Two attorneys and a paralegal are housed at the centralized domestic violence courthouse to assist victims in obtaiing civil orders of protection. This project focuses on clients who have custody and visitation issues, victims who have an order of protection against them, and clients who are immigrants. Two of the staff at the courthouse are bilingual in Spanish.
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Target Abuser Call Project (TAC)
Working with the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office and Hull House’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Project, Life Span provides legal information, advice and representation to victims pressing criminal charges at the centralized domestic violence courthouse located at 555 West Harrison. Survivors who are at high risk for serious harm or who have been abused by a repeat domestic battery offender are selected by the State’s Attorney’s Office for participation in this project.
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Criminal Court Advocacy
Criminal court advocates assist domestic violence victims who seek criminal orders of protection and criminal prosecution of their abusers. Life Span staff accompanies victims to criminal court. We provide support and information throughout the legal process in order to ensure appropriate treatment of victims by the criminal legal system and effective implementation of the Illinois Domestic Violence Act (750 ILCS 60/).
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Need our help or have questions? Call Life Span at: 312-408-1210.
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