When Abby Howard decided to seek a restraining order against her husband in 2012, she had no legal help to navigate the civil court system.

Her husband, meanwhile, hired a lawyer who helped him lower his monthly child support payments, from about $800 to $50, and file for a divorce. Howard, a mother of four with a part-time job, felt outsmarted and unsure how to best advocate for her and her children.

"I left that hearing feeling like his lawyer had totally mopped the floor with me," Howard, a resident of Gilsum, New Hampshire, said. "It was a terrible feeling."

Howard eventually found a lawyer through New Hampshire Legal Assistance, a nonprofit that provides free services to low-income victims. Her attorney helped her push back against the child support reductions and ensure she got a fair deal in the now-finalized divorce.

Howard was one of the rare victims who had access to legal help. But many more low-income people soon will have similar access."

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