Family Violence Appellate Project

Giving survivors a second chance at justice

Giving survivors a second chance at justice Donate

Legal Victory for Immigrant Survivors and Non-English Speakers

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We’re happy to share that in a recent published opinion, SY v. Superior Court, 29 Cal. App 5th 324 (2018), English language fluency can no longer be used as a reason to grant custody. While we do disagree with the portion of this ruling that still granted joint custody to S.Y.’s abuser, this court ruling is an important win for non-English speakers and immigrant survivors of domestic violence, who face discrimination based on their English language fluency.