News / The Fair and Just Journal

February 4, 2025

The Oklahoma Survivors Act: A Transformative Step for Justice

On January 8, 2025, Lisa Moss walked out of a courtroom as a free woman after serving 34 years of a life sentence for her role in the death of her abuser. Lisa’s release marks a pivotal moment in Oklahoma’s legal system, as her case became the first to secure freedom under the Oklahoma Survivors Act—a law designed to offer a second chance to domestic violence survivors whose abuse played a significant role in their convictions. Lisa’s story is a testament to the law’s transformative power, not just for individuals but for the broader pursuit of justice.

The Oklahoma Survivors Act, passed in 2024, acknowledges the profound impact that domestic violence, sexual abuse, and psychological trauma can have on the actions of survivors. The law provides an avenue for individuals to seek resentencing if they can present evidence that their abuse was a contributing factor to the crime for which they were convicted. Lisa Moss’s case highlighted years of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse inflicted by her late husband. Her release was made possible through the tireless efforts of advocacy groups, including Oklahoma Appleseed, and a justice system willing to reconsider past decisions in light of new evidence.

January 8, 2025

From Big City to Small Town: What I Learned About Community and Law as an FJP Summer Fellow

I joined the Albemarle County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office as one of the few non-University of Virginia students they had hosted in years. The team consisted of less than 20 people, and there were no separate units in charge of different cases. As a result, I participated in cases of various subject matters that I had never worked on before, including: traffic violations, economic crimes, sexual abuse, parole, and bail hearings. The office building is adjacent to an elegant brick courthouse dating back to over 400 years ago. Marshals, attorneys, prosecutors, observers, and even some criminal defendants, greeted each other cheerfully in the hallway. Apparently, this court square used to be the major public forum back in the 18th century and it still serves as an embodiment of “community” today. It reminded me of the original meaning of “society,” which represents the solidity of union among neighbors, instead of the intangible, abstract notion of society that is too big for any individual to comprehend.