Domestic Violence Benchbook: A Guide to Civil and Criminal Proceedings, 3rd Edition

(Approx. 678 pages; © 2004) Available in pdf format for viewing or downloading. Scroll down for links.

MJI's Domestic Violence Benchbook is an integrated resource that addresses Michigan law governing domestic violence in the three courtroom contexts where it is most likely to be at issue.

• Personal protection proceedings. The statutes and court rules governing issuance and enforcement of Michigan personal protection orders are covered in detail. The discussion also addresses double jeopardy concerns and full faith and credit for sister state and tribal protection orders.

• Criminal proceedings. "Domestic violence crimes" are defined, with emphasis on domestic assault and stalking offenses. Conditional pretrial release, evidentiary problems and batterer intervention services are also discussed.

• Divorce and child custody proceedings. The discussion explores the effects of domestic violence on the court's decision-making regarding property division, support, and access to children, with consideration of interstate and international child custody disputes. In addition to the foregoing topics, this benchbook addresses firearms restrictions that arise from criminal and personal protection proceedings. Supplementing the legal discussion, the reader will find general information about the dynamics of domestic violence, and "best practice" suggestions throughout the text.

Domestic Violence Benchbook, 3rd ed, in PDF format, listed by chapter:

• Preface

• Table of Contents

• Chap. 1: Understanding Domestic Abuse (pages 1–30)

• Chap. 2: Community Domestic Violence Resources (pages 31–62)

• Chap. 3: Common "Domestic Violence Crimes" (pages 63–116)

• Chap. 4: Promoting Safety in Criminal Proceedings (pages 117–160)

• Chap. 5: Evidence in Criminal Domestic Violence Cases (pages 161–244)

• Chap. 6: Issuing Personal Protection Orders—Statutory Overview (pages 245–286)

• Chap. 7: Practical Considerations for Issuing Personal Protection Orders (pages 287–318)

• Chap. 8: Enforcing Personal Protection Orders (pages 319–394)

• Chap. 9: Statutory Firearms Restrictions in Domestic Violence Cases (pages 395–426)

• Chap. 10: Case Management for Safety in Domestic Relations Cases (pages 427–458)

• Chap. 11: Support (pages 459–486)

• Chap. 12: Domestic Violence and Access to Children (pages 487–528)

• Chap. 13: Custody Proceedings Involving Multiple Jurisdictions (pages 529–580)

• Appendix A: Domestic Violence Agencies

• Appendix B: Partial List of Culturally-Specific Resources for Survivors of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault

• Appendix C: Batterer Intervention Standards for the State of Michigan

• Appendix D: Domestic Violence and Child Abuse/Neglect Screening for Domestic Relations Mediation

• Subject Matter Index

• Citation Index

• Case Citation Index

UPDATES TO THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE BENCHBOOK, 3RD ED.

• 2007 Updates

• 2006 Updates

• 2005 Updates

• 2004 Updates

To view all of our Publications updates, visit our Updates page.

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