Addressing Nonvisible Disabilities in Civil Cases: Considering the Impacts of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault

This training addresses the critical, and often overlooked, role of nonvisible disabilities—such as Post-Traumatic Stress/ Disorder (PTS/D), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Military Sexual Trauma (MST), and cognitive processing challenges—in shaping how military-connected survivors engage with the civil legal system. Participants will gain tools to recognize how these disabilities may influence survivor’s presentation, perceived credibility, and overall participation in civil protection, custody, and guardianship proceedings. The session will also offer guidance on distinguishing trauma-related responses from behaviors that may be misinterpreted as disengagement or deception. Special focus will be given to how these dynamics arise in child custody matters and emergency protective order hearings.

Certificates documenting CLE/CEU hours will be issued upon request.