Legal Advocacy Program
About Us
RCPCH Legal Advocacy
The RCPCH Legal Advocacy Team is led by Manager Jim Mejia. He is joined by Bi-Lingual Legal Advocate Deysi Gutierrez and Legal Advocate Abril Perez. This team works with hundreds of clients per year, all seeking protection through legal orders. They are not lawyers but are professionally trained and recognized by the court as being advocates who accompany their clients in the courtroom and who handle all required paperwork and order submission through the clerks of court in Irwin, Tift, Turner, and Worth County.
All work of the RCPCH Legal Advocacy Team is confidential.
Our Legal Advocacy Team
Jim Mejia
Legal Advocate Program Manager
Deysi Gutierrez
Bilingual Legal Advocate
Abril Perez
Legal Advocate
Temporary Protective Orders
Family Violence Protective Orders
Family Violence Protective Orders (O.C.G.A. § 19-13-1 et seq.) 1.2.1.
To issue a family violence order, a court must find that: A. The petitioner has or had a particular relationship to the respondent; and B. The respondent has engaged in one or more particular types of violence and C. The petitioner needs protection against future violence by the respondent.
Relationships:
1. past spouses.
2. present spouses.
3. parents of the same child (unmarried parents).
4. parent and child.
5. stepparent and stepchild.
6. foster parent and foster child.
7. persons now living in the same household.
8. persons formerly living in the same household.
Stalking Orders
STALKING ORDERS (O.C.G.A. § 16-5-94) 1.3.1.
To issue a stalking protective order, a court must find that: A. The respondent has stalked the petitioner; and B. The petitioner needs protection against future stalking by the respondent.
Dating Violence Orders
DATING VIOLENCE ORDERS (O.C.G.A. §19-13A-1)
· (1) “Dating relationship” means a committed romantic relationship characterized by a level of intimacy that is not associated with mere friendship or between persons in an ordinary business, social, or educational context; provided, however, that such term shall not require sexual involvement.
· (2) “Dating violence” means the occurrence of one or more of the following acts between persons through whom a current pregnancy has developed or who are currently, or within the last 12 months were, in a dating relationship:
o (A) Any felony; or
o (B) Commission of the offenses of simple battery, battery, simple assault, or stalking.
Process for a TPO
1) Each victim needs to call our hotline to receive services (229) 388-1541 – 24/7 Hotline.
2) Advocates will take all the information needed.
3) The legal advocates will contact each victim that requests a TPO – we will go over the requirements, process and referrals.
4) We will assist with TPO paperwork, court accompaniment, meetings with the Judge, safety planning, and case management.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long are TPO’s in place?
Temporary 30-Day Order > 12 Month Order > 3 Year Order > Permanent Order
How long does the TPO process take?
As soon as we get the hotline call, the legal advocates will call back within 24-48 hours. Clients will be scheduled for the next available appointment and the process takes less than a week.
Our Local 24/7 Hotline: 229-388-1541
Whether you have a question regarding our facility, or you need to call about a domestic violence crisis, sexual assault situation or confidential child abuse report, we are here for you!
01
Domestic Violence Hotline
1-800-334-2836
02
Sexual Assault Hotline
1-800-656-4673
03
Confidential Child Abuse Report