On May 15, 2026, the Pennsylvania Commission for Fairness & Justice (PCFJ) published Pennsylvania Domestic Violence: A Select Bibliography of Primary & Secondary Sources. Commissioned by PCFJ and authored by Dr. Joel Fishman (Library Faculty Fellow, Duquesne Law), the bibliography identifies the legal framework for and practice guidance on domestic and sexual violence matters in Pennsylvania.
Divided into two parts – Part I: Family Law, and Part II: Criminal Law – this resource features a robust collection of primary and secondary sources, ranging from statutes and rules of court on domestic relations and human trafficking to bench books, suggested jury instructions, attorney CLE courses, and legal periodicals on trauma-informed prosecutorial practices. It also includes a focused library of online resources, such as a listing of all domestic violence programs in PA and topic-specific training materials produced by organizations such as the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence (PCADV) and Pennsylvania Coalition to Advance Respect (PCAR).
As identified in its accompanying Executive Summary, this select bibliography serves as a critical jumping off point for prosecutors, victim advocates and service providers, policymakers, legal practitioners, judges, and others working in this sector. By elevating current laws and relevant practices, it advances PCFJ’s core mission: to support state and local officials, as well as legal professionals and their clients, with the resources and tools necessary to ensure equal access to justice within all communities.