County Court, Live From A Safe Place

With the Oregon state seal on the wall, the flags of Oregon and the United States on display, and a long wooden conference table, the room would be right at home in any courthouse in the state. Instead of a judge’s bench, though, there is a large, flat-screen TV.  This is the Video Court at A Safe Place Family Justice Center, which uses a closed-circuit video conferencing system to link directly to the courthouse.

Through Video Court, survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and elder abuse can remotely participate in initial hearings on 3 out of the 4 types of restraining orders available in the state of Oregon.  Thanks to this feature, survivors can file a restraining order with the assistance of an advocate in the morning and appear before a county judge by the early afternoon without ever having to leave the building. Video Court is one of the one of the crucial, coordinated services that partners offer at A Safe Place. It allows those who have experienced violence to initiate legal proceedings against their abusers while staying in a place where they feel safe, comfortable and supported.