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July 18, 2008

Advocate to handle ‘after hours’ domestic violence orders

By BRAD DICKERSON The Glasgow Daily Times Fri Jul 18, 2008, 11:34 AM CDT

EDMONTON — Family Court in Metcalfe County now has a person to handle domestic violence complaints at night, on weekends and during holidays.

Magistrates with the Metcalfe County Fiscal Court agreed to create the position at their May 13 meeting. It will require someone to be on call nights and weekends to sign domestic violence orders when the circuit court clerk is not available.

Erica Hensley, who has been with the Metcalfe County attorney’s office since 1997, was recently named domestic violence intake assistant.

“We see domestic violence taking place quite often in society these days and not just during the day,” she said. “There are those who are victims after hours. Hopefully, I am helping protect someone from any future domestic violence.”

Renee Basil, an associate in Barren-Metcalfe County Family Court Judge Mitchell Nance’s office, said the after-hours action was initiated by a 2007 letter from former Kentucky Chief Justice Joseph Lambert asking all counties to have a similar protocol in place.

In Barren County, there is a victim’s advocate who handles such after-hours duties, according to Basil.

Hensley will be responsible for helping a petitioner fill out an emergency protection order (EPO) and making sure that order gets to the proper authorities.

Basil said an EPO is the first step to getting a domestic violence order, which gives civil protection, through a court order, to the petitioner.

In most cases, the offending party must remain 200 feet away from the victim.

Tommy Garrett, circuit court clerk for Metcalfe County, said this new position in no way signals a rise in domestic violence complaints within the area.

“It’s just something to help the public,” he said.

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