Gibson Dunn Lawyers Write About Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act Rulings for New York Law Journal

Article  |  October 24, 2025

New York Law Journal

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Partner Karin Portlock and associate Vanessa Ajagu authored an article for the New York Law Journal [PDF] analyzing recent New York Court of Appeals decisions that define the scope and limits of the Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act (DVSJA), a law that allows courts to impose reduced sentences on survivors of domestic violence whose abuse played a significant role in their offenses.

Their piece examines how the Court’s rulings in People v. Brenda WW. and People v. Angela VV. clarify key aspects of the statute, including the proper standard of appellate review for DVSJA applications and the extent of sentencing relief available to survivors. Together, the decisions mark an important step in shaping how New York courts apply the DVSJA and advance its purpose of providing meaningful relief to survivors of abuse.