Several weeks ago this blog reported on the Ray Rice abuse scandal. Rice is now appealing the NFL’s decision to suspend him indefinitely; a third-party arbitrator is overseeing the proceedings. The arbitrator has placed a gag order on all parties to the appeal. This includes Rice, his legal team, all witnesses and NFL officials. The former NFL player had a $35 million contract with the Baltimore Ravens that was terminated after damaging video surfaced of a domestic violence dispute between he and then girlfriend Janay Palmer.
Rice’s appeal is based on a claim that his rights were violated under Article 46 of the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement. In addition to his claim against the league, Rice also filed a formal grievance against the Baltimore Ravens for wrongful termination of his contract. The proceedings are set to be held November 4 and 6.
Due to Ray Rice’s celebrity, news of his domestic violence charge made front page news. However, for many victims of domestic violence in Georgia, their stories go untold. There are some who live with a real fear for their lives. These individuals deserve protection from the legal system. Here at the law firm of Christopher T. Adams, we work to give these victims a voice.
One of the key tools used by this firm to protect our clients is a protective order. A temporary protective order can be ordered when a victim feels threatened after a domestic disturbance. This temporary order can last for seven to ten days. It ensures that the alleged abuser will stay away from the victim and cease all contact. After this time period has expired, the court wil hold a hearing to determine if the protective order should be extended anywhere from six months to a year. The attorneys at this law firm can assist in this process.
Source: The Baltimore Sun, “Judge Barbara S. Jones issues gag order in Ray Rice’s pending appeal,” Aaron Wilson, November 2, 2014
