Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy (Advocacy Center) is taking over the Custody Advocacy Program (CAP) for Mecklenburg County. CAP supports children involved in high-conflict custody cases in family court, especially where there may be serious allegations such as child abuse, sexual assault, domestic violence, substance abuse, mistreatment or parental kidnapping.
For decades, children stuck between these battles had a voice when Custody Advocate/Guardian Ad Litems were appointed through the Council for Children’s Rights (CFCR), but CFCR closed their doors last year. Without a home for CAP, Mecklenburg County District Judge J. Rex Marvel temporarily maintained a shell of the former program until a permanent home could be found. Thanks to a generous donation from the Mecklenburg County Bar Foundation, the program will now be managed by the Advocacy Center to ensure that children in need will have a voice.
The Advocacy Center will hire a staff attorney/coordinator to manage the volunteers and match/assign advocates and volunteers to cases. The need for coordinated volunteer support has become increasingly urgent, particularly as more parents navigate custody disputes without representation.
“Far too often children in our community are stuck between high-conflict custody cases. Allegations of child abuse, parental kidnapping, substance abuse, and mistreatment emphasize the importance of accurate and reliable advocacy during custody proceedings,” said Judge J. Rex Marvel. “The Advocacy Center has decades of experience ensuring access to justice for our community. Their mission of justice and the stability of their nonprofit will ensure that children stuck in high-conflict custody proceedings will have a voice in court. This is an invaluable service to the children of our community, and one which will help countless children in need.”
Larissa Mañón, CEO of the Advocacy Center, shared “At its core, our organization exists to pursue justice for those in need. Housing the Custody Advocacy Program within our organization is both a strategic and mission-driven decision. Children caught in high-conflict custody cases are among the most vulnerable – often navigating emotional trauma, instability, and systems that were not designed with their needs in mind. By providing custody advocacy, we ensure that their voices are heard, their best interests are prioritized, and their rights are protected during some of the most challenging moments of their lives.”
About Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy
Since 1967, our staff and pro bono attorneys have provided comprehensive civil legal services for our region’s low-income residents. We accomplish our mission through individual advice and representation, community education and outreach, representation of groups, self-help remedies, collaboration with other agencies, community economic development, legislative and administrative advocacy, and impact litigation. Our mission is to pursue justice for those in need. Our vision is to build a just community, where all people are treated fairly and have access to legal representation to meet their basic human needs of safety, security and stability. Learn more at charlottelegaladvocacy.org.
