When a domestic violence survivor files the legal paperwork for a restraining order against an abuser, the process is often complicated, emotional, and time-intensive.
While there's no shortcut to make that experience less painful or nerve-wracking, Dorna Moini, a lawyer who's represented numerous survivors pro-bono, wants to make it more efficient. That's why she launched HelpSelf Legal, a fee-based site that uses artificial intelligence to enhance the process of filling restraining order paperwork.
"It would be nice to have everyone have a lawyer to help them through the process," says Moini, "but the reality is that there aren’t enough lawyers."
A report published by the Legal Services Corporation, a nonprofit established by Congress to provide affordable or cost-free legal aid, found that there aren't enough resources to adequately address more than half of the 1.7 million legal problems low-income Americans will experience this year. That includes domestic violence and related requests to obtain a restraining order.
Moini, who is personally funding the company, wants HelpSelf Legal to fill that gap.
The service's AI was trained on prior restraining order filings, so it's programmed to help the user avoid making mistakes that could lead the court to reject the paperwork, like neglecting to answer required questions. It also adapts to the user's responses. If a petitioner says that an abuser owns firearms, it leads to a clear prompt about whether they want the court to consider removing those weapons from the abuser's possession.
HelpSelf Legal is currently only available to users who file in the California court system, though Moini plans to expand to other states, and offer additional services to people who want to file legal paperwork regarding an eviction, guardianship, and child support. An individual can use the service for $15 to obtain all the documents required for filing the restraining order. Moini is offering it to pro-bono lawyers and nonprofit agencies on a sliding scale.
Some lawyers and nonprofit staff who work with survivors in California, however, have concerns about people using HelpSelf Legal without the guidance of an attorney.
"I love the idea of using AI as a tool to help survivors, because usually new technology is used as a tool to abuse survivors, but having that so automated does raise some red flags for me," says Adam Dodge, legal director of Laura's House, a domestic violence agency and shelter in Orange County that also offers counseling, community education and legal assistance.
"I love the idea of using AI as a tool to help survivors, but having that so automated does raise some red flags for me."
Dodge worries that users may not understand the different types of protections they can request. Those include protection for other family members, spousal support, and child custody. He's also concerned about survivors going through an emotionally difficult process by themselves. Nonprofit advocates who help survivors file for a restraining order typically discuss the filing process, who will serve the paperwork to the abuser, how to develop a safety plan, and what it's like to attend court hearings about the order.
Stephanie Penrod, managing attorney for Family Violence Law Center in Oakland, shares similar reservations. (Moini previously volunteered for the nonprofit and contacted Penrod for feedback on HelpSelf Legal, but there is no formal partnership between the two organizations.)
Penrod imagines that a HelpSelf Legal user might make certain requests, like asking for no visitation with children, that could strategically backfire. Courts, for example, are looking to preserve parental relationships when possible, but a survivor wouldn't know that without the guidance of an attorney.
"Any low-cost or free representation with an attorney is always going to be an asset and it offers a great support," Penrod says.
When that's not available, Penrod says survivors can seek assistance from courthouse self-help centers, which can provide help with paperwork as well as referrals to local nonprofits. But she also knows such resources can be limited depending on the county, and sees potential for a service like HelpSelf Legal, particularly in rural counties where survivors can't access low-cost aid.
That's exactly the scenario that Moini envisions when she thinks about who her company might be able to help the most. For survivors who must find a way to travel hours to a courthouse or clinic and arrange for child care, starting the process online could save them time and money.
Once users complete the paperwork, they are given additional information about filing the order, developing a safety plan, and going to court. A blog post directs them to legal aid providers in every California county. The site includes disclaimers that HelpSelf Legal doesn't provide legal counsel and that users may want to consult an attorney before filing their paperwork.
Dodge believes the site may be an important tool to survivors with less complex cases, but would like to see it offered at no cost to a survivor and in collaboration with a nonprofit. He'd also like automated referrals for direct services after a user completes paperwork. Provided consent and confidentiality can be maintained, Dodge would prefer the nonprofits to reach out to the survivor directly.
Moini says she's still in the process of building partnerships with agencies and courts across the state to increase users' access to legal aid.
"We're trying to get our product out and see how people like it," Moini says.
Whatever happens next, the launch of HelpSelf Legal has drawn attention to a little-known but widespread problem that the smart application of technology could one day improve.
"The goal in building this company is very broad," Moini says. "It's to provide access to justice for all kinds of legal tasks that low- and moderate-income people are disproportionately affected by."
If you've experienced domestic or intimate partner violence, you can call the National Domestic Violence hotline at 1−800−799−7233. Additional resources are available on its website.
