The King County Prosecutor's Office has assigned at least two court based victim advocates to each of the three domestic violence court locations. The advocates at their respective courts:

• Assist victims through the criminal proceedings and keep victims informed of the status of the case
• Represent the wishes and best interests of victims throughout the court process
• Do safety planning with victims and provide referrals to community agencies
• Provide coordination of domestic violence and the legal process for domestic violence cases
• Coordinate with the Protection Order Advocacy programs

The King County Domestic Violence Courts do not handle municipal court cases - they only handle misdemeanor cases arising out of incidents that occurred in unincorporated King County. If the incident out of which your case arose occurred in an incorporated city, then the case will be handled by that city's municipal court. There may or may not be a court-based victim advocate who works in that city. To find out who to contact, call the municipal court of the city in question.

The King County Domestic Violence Courts also do not handle felony cases. If you are involved in a felony case, then you will be working with someone in our Domestic Violence Unit's Felony Division.

Return to Top

Felony Advocacy

The felony advocates of the King County Prosecutor's Office work in the Felony Division of the Domestic Violence Unit. The Domestic Violence Unit is staffed by advocates and special deputy prosecutors who work as a team. The mission of the team is to ensure offender accountability, and to provide support for all victims of domestic violence as well as to address their safety concerns.

The advocate's role is to focus on the safety of the victim, to provide unconditional support to the victim, and to assist the victim during the prosecution process. The advocate's role includes but is not limited to the following:

• Initiate and maintain contact with the victim
• Do safety planning with the victim and make appropriate referrals to community agencies
• Provide education on the legal system and the prosecution process to the victim and keep the victim informed at all stages of the prosecution
• Appear with and support the victim at court hearings
• Represent the wishes and needs of the victim with primary attention on the safety of the victim
• Coordinate with all members of the domestic violence team (law enforecement, prosecutors, treatment agencies, court staff, etc.)

The felony advocates may be reached at the following two locations:

King County Courthouse, Room W554 *
516 Third Avenue
Seattle, WA 98104-2312
206-296-9547
FAX: 206-205-8329
TTY: 206-205-6198

Regional Justice Center, Kent (South King County)
401 Fourth Avenue, Room 2B
Kent, WA 98032-4429
206-205-7406

*For felony domestic violence cases filed into Superior Court in the King County Courthouse (downtown Seattle), there are two possible groups of advocates who may be assigned to your case.

If the incident out of which your case arose occurred in unincorporated King County, north of Interstate 90, then you will be assigned to an advocate out of the King County Prosecutor's Office (information listed above).

If the incident out of which your case arose occurred in the City of Seattle, then you will be assigned to an advocate out of the Seattle Police Department's Domestic Violence Unit. Similar to the advocates who are employed by the King County Prosecutor's Office, the Domestic Violence Advocates work closely with the county's prosecutors on their assigned cases.

If the incident out of which your case arose occurred in South King County (south of Interstate 90), then you will be working with one of the advocates in the felony division at the Regional Justice Center.

Return to Top

Juvenile Court Advocacy

The advocates at Juvenile Court work as a team with a specially trained deputy prosecutor during the prosecution process from screening to disposition of the case. Their common goal is safety of the victim and accountability of the juvenile offender.

The primary goal and duty of the advocates is to focus on the safety of the victim. He/she has the responsibility of representing the wishes and best interests of the victim throughout the court process and work to ensure that the victim's rights are not violated.

Duties of the advocates include:

• To provide safety planning, information regarding the legal process and referrals as needed to victims.
• To keep victims informed of the status of the case.
• To assess victim's willingness to assist with prosecution.
• To gather victim's input and provide that input to other team members.
• To consult and coordinate with the prosecutors throughout all stages of the case.
• To gather and compile statistical data.
• To troubleshoot issues as they arise.
• To provide training on the legal system and sexual assault/domestic violence issues.
• To develop, promote, and maintain effective working relationships with related community based agencies.
• To advocate from within the criminal justice system to help serve victims of sexual assault and domestic violence.
  

Advocates specializing in Juvenile Court matters may be reached at:

King County Youth Service Center
1211 East Alder Street
Seattle, WA 98104
206-296-8871

Driving Directions to the King County Youth Service Center

Return to Top

Dated: December 9, 2004

*External Link