06/22/2026
Last month, our case review team read court record summaries for 9 selected Sexual Assault Protection Orders (SAPOs) filed in District Court from 2022–2025 to discuss opportunities for the Whatcom County District Court to improve the process and outcomes for survivors of sexual assault petitioning for an order of protection. To read the full report, visit https://www.dvcommission.org/sapocasereviewfindings
We found that District Court's current strengths include...
⚖️ Transparency with local organizations through data sharing
⚖️ Improved electronic filing for convenience and safety of petitioners
⚖️ Judicial officer (judges, commissioners, and pro tem) usage of best practice language from bench cards
⚖️ A Language Access Plan to support limited English proficiency petitioners' ability to use the courts
And opportunities for action and change include...
⭐ Increasing approval rates of temporary orders
⭐ Ensuring all judicial officers have regular and sufficient training on DV/SA dynamics, neurobiology of trauma, and more
⭐ Identifying a system within the Court and then appoint attorneys for pro se petitioners
⭐ Improving access to DVSAS advocacy and support
⭐Achieving meaningful language access and disability access throughout the court process
⭐Developing clarity on the preparation that is expected of all judicial officers in advance of a hearing
“I wish community could have come together more to talk about it and acknowledge what was happening…” —survivor
