The Legal Services Department at Genesis Women’s Shelter & Support was founded in 2016 to address the lack of access to no-cost civil legal representation for survivors of domestic violence in Dallas County. Focused on family law and offered in conjunction with the organization’s trauma-informed, wraparound domestic violence services, Genesis’ direct representation model for survivors navigates the complexities of protective orders, divorce proceedings, and child custody cases. Since its inception, the legal team at Genesis has represented thousands of survivors in family court cases.

In this episode, Jan Langbein, CEO of Genesis, and attorney Rachel Elkin, Director of Legal Services at Genesis, explain the history and purpose of family court, how children are impacted by court rulings, and how and why domestic violence offenders attempt to weaponize the court system. We also look to the future of legal services at Genesis and announce the launch of a reimagined legal program to better serve women and children.