People seeking services from San Diego’s Family Justice Center should plan for a change in location this week. The downtown office at Broadway and 11th Avenue closes Friday, and the center is scheduled to begin operating Monday at 9275 Sky Park Court in Kearny Mesa, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Access at the new facility
The new building is off Ruffin Road, north of Aero Drive. It offers free parking but is not near a trolley line, according to the Union-Tribune. The move expands the center from approximately 22,000 square feet downtown to about 44,000 square feet in Kearny Mesa.
The added space is intended to support survivors of domestic violence, sex trafficking, child abuse, elder abuse and other crimes. San Diego police will occupy one floor while the Family Justice Center uses the other, an arrangement intended to allow victims to seek services without contacting law enforcement unless they want that connection, according to the Union-Tribune. The center also connects people with counseling and legal-support partners.
Remote court participation
A person dealing with a domestic-violence temporary restraining-order matter may be able to attend the hearing remotely. The Superior Court of California, County of San Diego, says eligible participants can appear by video or audio conference using the court’s listed remote-hearing instructions. Participants should check the court page for the current connection information.
What official data show about demand
Available state data show substantial use of Gun Violence Restraining Orders in San Diego County, although they do not by themselves establish that demand for domestic-violence services is increasing. According to the California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General, 44% of the 8,988 Gun Violence Restraining Orders issued statewide from 2016 to 2023 were issued in San Diego and Santa Clara counties. San Diego County alone accounted for 35% of the 2,071 longer-term final Gun Violence Restraining Orders issued statewide during that period.
The Family Justice Center opened in 2002 and is overseen by San Diego City Attorney Heather Ferbert’s office. The relocation information in this report comes primarily from the San Diego Union-Tribune; no independent announcement from the city, police department or center was supplied.
