Maxine's Justice
Her Justice helps an immigrant mother achieve safety, economic justice and rebuild a self-sufficient life free from abuse.
Maxine, an immigrant from Jamaica and victim of severe financial and emotional abuse, turned to Her Justice when she realized that she and her son were in danger of physical harm from her abusive husband. Maxine contacted Her Justice to learn what steps she needed to take to end her marriage.
“My husband told me I could get a divorce the ‘easy way’ or the ‘hard way.’
"The hard way was to get a lawyer, which he knew I could not afford to hire, and fight him for custody of our son. The easy way was to surrender my child and just walk away.
"Her Justice showed me that I could stand up to my abuser and fight for my child.”
Maxine's story begins with brave phone call to Her Justice.
Recalling her first telephone conversation with our staff, Maxine states, “I first spoke with an attorney who gave me advice. She explained the law and the issues which would most likely be involved in my divorce. She was concerned for my safety and told me about shelters where my son and I could seek refuge and discussed safety issues I should consider if I decided to leave.”
”She thanked me for having the courage to call,” Maxine continues, “and let me know that the doors were always open whatever it was that I decided to do. It was a tremendous relief. I knew that whatever decision I made, I would not be alone.”
Maxine told her husband that she wanted a divorce a month later.
Maxine’s husband in turn told her that, if she tried to fight for custody of their son or for child support, he would kill her. “It will be so easy,” Maxine recalls him saying. “You are just an undocumented immigrant, no one will care. You are nothing. They will take you out of this apartment in a body bag.”
Maxine immediately took her son and fled to a friend’s apartment. Shortly thereafter, she went to Family Court and obtained a temporary order of protection and child support order. On the same day, in a retaliatory move, her husband filed for an order of protection against Maxine and petitioned for sole custody of their child.
After appearing in court without a lawyer, Maxine was intimidated by her husband’s attorney and terrified by his threats to crush her financially if she fought for custody of their son.
Maxine turned again to Her Justice for legal help.
Her Justice immediately placed Maxine’s case with a team of volunteer attorneys at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP.
Over the next two years, Ryan Kane and Juan Arteaga represented Maxine in a highly contested divorce in Supreme Court and a family offense case in Family Court which resulted in a multi-day trial.
Shortly after Ryan and Juan took on her case, Maxine and her son, threatened by her husband’s stalking and continuing threats of violence, moved into a domestic violence shelter. Maxine’s husband then withdrew his support of her application for legal residency and, as a result, Maxine lost her working papers and all means to support herself and her son.
At the family offense trial, upon hearing Maxine’s compelling testimony and other forceful evidence presented by her attorneys, the judge awarded Maxine a three-year permanent order of protection against her husband and dismissed her husband’s case.
Next, Juan and Ryan helped Maxine obtain a divorce. After much complex discovery, negotiation and litigation with the husband, Maxine was awarded full custody of their son with visitation for the father. Maxine was also awarded a child support judgment requiring her husband to pay his rightful share of their son’s special education, medical and child care expenses.
Maxine’s attorneys also collaborated with lawyers at Safe Horizon who helped Maxine self-petition for legal residency under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). Maxine’s VAWA application was approved in August and Maxine received her work permit three months later.
Reflecting on her experiences, Maxine states:
“There were many times when I felt like giving up. I wouldn’t wish going to court on my worst enemy—it is a nail biting experience—especially when you’re fighting for a child that you love. It is the hardest thing in the world to sit silently in court and listen to someone you once loved tell lies about you, tell the court you are bad mother—it just breaks your heart. But my attorneys were always there; they had my back and would not let me give up.
“It was worth it. I got justice and I thank Her Justice for that. I was treated like a million dollar client at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett.
"Her Justice placed my case with a world-class law firm and gave me the best lawyers in the world. I have a lot of wonderful options now—things that I never realized that I could do. I’ve seen the ways in which I was limiting myself and all of that is over now."
Maxine now has her green card and recently started a full-time job as an executive assistant at a prestigious real estate development firm. Her son is thriving in a new school that specializes in early childhood education, with strong programs to meet his special developmental needs.
Learn more about Maxine’s pro bono attorneys.
From Tears to Laughter
From Tears to Laughter is a long-format PSA video which features Maxine and her son. The video was developed to illustrate the impact of pro bono civil legal services on the lives of the women served by inMotion.
The video also highlights the experiences of the volunteer attorneys who stand up in court for women and children in domestic crisis.
________________________
Research and project management
Laurie Lichtenstein
Produced by Tango Pix
Directed by Curt Worden
Content strategy, copywriting and design for print and digital channels. Coordinated and executed story cross-platform build-out, website administration and content management. Set up and implemented email blasts featuring Maxine's case and her pro bono legal team.
Collaborated with leadership to develop creative briefs and/or requests for proposals, obtained bids and reviewed contracts, researched and hired film production companies. Served as the organization's liaison to the creative and production teams.
Partnered with staff to identify clients and volunteers to profile in video projects. Researched cases and developed case profiles for the creative team.
Project managed creative agencies and film production companies: obtained and managed releases, coordinated schedules, locations and assisted with permits, handled communications with participating clients and volunteers.
Hired still photographers and art directed photo shoots on set; reviewed pre- and post-interview transcripts to identify key editorial content, dramatic stories and voice-over material; provided creative feedback; facilitated internal reviews and sign-offs and coordinated final deliverables.