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Nov. 11, 2022

Family Justice Center receives Pro Bono Community Partner of the Year Award

Legal Aid of East Tennessee recently named the Johnson City/Washington County Family Justice Center its Pro Bono Community Partner of the Year. This annual award is bestowed on a non-legal entity that has worked in close collaboration with Legal Aid of East Tennessee or has shown a significant level of support for Legal Aid of East Tennessee and its programs. 

“The team at the Washington County/Johnson City Family Justice Center works hard to create a safe and secure haven for all who walk through their doors,” said Kimberly Grace Seals, pro bono project staff attorney for Legal Aid of East Tennessee. “We are grateful for all the help they provided with our Family Law Advice Clinics and look forward to developing more clinics to meet the legal needs of our community.”

In 2022, the Family Justice Center opened its doors to two of Legal Aid’s most successful Family Law Advice Clinics. The staff at the center assisted with advertising and promotion and routinely went above and beyond to ensure the volunteer attorneys and participants had the best experience possible.

“We are thrilled to have been selected for the Pro Bono Community Partner award,” said FJC Director Starr Bradley. “The Family Justice Center is a collaborative effort, and it takes many individuals and organizations working together to allow us to provide the variety of services needed by victims of domestic and sexual violence.”

The Family Justice Center facilitates a Coordinated Community Response Team that focuses on addressing prevention, intervention, and response to domestic violence in our community. The team consists of domestic violence advocates, prosecutors, court officials, and law enforcement, ensuring a victim-centered response and access to community resources in Washington County, Tenn.

The center provides victims an opportunity to speak with an advocate, plan for their safety, file a police report, receive order of protection assistance, meet with a trauma-informed counselor, seek emergency shelter/transitional housing, and get court-related transportation assistance all in one location, free of charge.

To learn more about the Johnson City/ Washington County Family Justice Center, call 423-722-3720.

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