Civil protection order portals offer greater access for domestic violence survivors
Survivors of violence deserve safe, accessible, and fair legal protection. Since 2020, we have actively studied and supported the use of technology to assist domestic violence survivors across the United States. Our research, consultation, and collaboration with courts in Arizona, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Nevada, and other jurisdictions, has informed promising practices, common implementation challenges, and technical requirements for civil protection order (CPO) portals.
What is a civil protection order portal?
A CPO portal is an online system that allows individuals to safely and efficiently request legal protection from abuse or violence. It guides users step by step through filing and connects them with resources.
Why are courts moving toward civil protection order portals?
Courts are implementing portals to improve safety, consistency, and efficiency while expanding equitable access to justice through technology.
What makes an effective portal?
Civil protection order portal implementation requires thoughtful planning and coordination. Common challenges include:
- User guidance: Petitioners may struggle with legal terms or procedural steps. Portals should include clear instructions, legal context, and help features.
- Comprehensive support: Filing for protection is often just one step in a broader legal and safety journey. Courts should consider how portals can connect users to resources for safety planning, custody, support, and legal aid.
- Stakeholder coordination: Successful implementation requires collaboration among judges, clerks, advocates, technologists, and community partners.
How can a virtual portal improve access to justice?
The portal standardizes procedures across all court jurisdictions, reduces paperwork, improves data accuracy, and ensures survivors receive consistent, timely access to legal protection regardless of where a person lives (urban or rural), language barriers, or access to legal aid resources.
Who can use the portal?
Petitioners, attorneys, clerks of court, judges, law enforcement officers, and advocates can all interact through the portal, improving communication and efficiency.
Additional resources
Webinars:
- E-filing Domestic Violence Protection Orders – Safety, Accessibility, and Effectiveness
- Civil Protection Order Portals 101 Webinar
- Implementation Basics for CPO Portals Webinar
- Learner Court Q&A (a helpful glance at what a project could look like)
Guides and standards:
Case study:
Benefits to survivors
In-person filing for protection orders can add challenges, such as transportation barriers, missed work, and safety risks. Online protection order filing systems provide a secure, web-based alternative to in-person filing and offer safety, convenience, and efficiency for court users.
Guided assistance
Instructions and guided questions help users complete CPO petitions accurately, whether alone or with the assistance of court staff and advocates.
Safe, flexible filing
Users can work at their own pace from a safe and comfortable location, allowing them to document their story without interruptions and re-traumatization.
Accessibility
Portals can include special multilingual and accessibility features and can be accessed via internet-enabled devices such as smartphones, tablets, and computers.
Learning from others: A statewide case study
Discover how NCSC and the Louisiana Supreme Court are working toward a statewide civil protection order portal to modernize services for timely, consistent, and safe access across all 64 parishes.
Tap into our expertise
Our user-centered approach emphasizes community collaboration and reimagines business processes to set the stage for future innovation that improves access for all parties. Here are just a few ways we can add value to your portal project.
Our expert
Advancing access to justice
Our team can assist you with leveraging technology to develop processes that are safe, accessible, fair, and effective.
Explore more
Advancing victim safety & court technology through civil protection order portals
Supporting survivor safety through increased access to court relief
Building a statewide civil protection order portal
Making processes more accessible, timely, consistent, safe, and fair for survivors of violence.