The documents you are given will say where and when you have to go to court. You should turn up to court or an order may be made without you there.
Read the order carefully. Do not break the conditions of the order, even if you don’t agree with them.
If you have a Domestic Violence Order against you, the order is not a criminal charge and does not give you a criminal record. However, if you break any of the conditions of a Domestic Violence Order that is made against you, then you may be charged with a criminal offence. See what happens if someone breaks a Domestic Violence Order?
Sometimes the police apply for a Domestic Violence Order to protect someone and their children. It may not be up to the protected person whether the Domestic Violence Order goes ahead or not.
If you are a man and you are worried about domestic and family violence you can call:
- Mensline on 1300 789 978 or
- Men’s Referral Service on 1300 766 491.
For other services, see get help.
Domestic Violence Orders are civil orders. This means is if an order is made against you, the order is not itself a criminal charge and does not give you a criminal record.
However, if you break any of the conditions of a Domestic Violence Order that is made against you, then you may be charged with a criminal offence. See what happens if someone breaks a Domestic Violence Order?
Having a Domestic Violence Order made against you may or may not affect things like:
• spending time with your children
• working with children
• gun and weapons licences and security guard licences
• what happens with your visa
• what happens with your tenancy.
It will depend on your case and the law in your State or Territory.
If you are worried about any of these things you can:
- get legal adviceACTNSWNTQldSATasVicWA
- get tenancy adviceACTNSWNTQldSATasVicWA
- get immigration adviceACTNSWNTQldSATasVicWA
Also see can I make arrangements for children when there’s a Domestic Violence Order? and consider how domestic and family violence affects children.
See resources for more information.
- ACT Magistrates Court – Family Violence Orders
- ACT Law Handbook – Family Violence Orders
- LawAccess NSW – Defending an AVO
- LawAccess NSW – After court – Defendants
- LawAccess NSW – After court – Protected Person
- LawAccess NSW – Consequences of having an AVO against you
- Legal Aid NSW – Is someone asking the court to make an AVO against you?
- Law Handbook NT – Domestic Violence
- Law Info NT – Domestic Violence
- Darwin CLC – Domestic and Family Violence and tenancy
- NT Courts – Domestic Violence Applications
- NT Government – Information for Defendants
Video
- The Northern Territory Department of Corrections – A Better Way – also available in Arrernte, Kriol and Yolngu Matha
- Legal Aid Qld – Someone has applied for a Domestic Violence Protection Order against me—what are my legal options?
- Qld Government – Having an Order Made Against You
- Qld Government – If you use violence in your relationship
Videos
- Qld Courts – What if I’m Served? – videos available in Auslan, Arabic, Mandarin, Persian/Farsi, Spanish, Thai and Vietnamese
- Qld Courts – Understanding the conditions of a Domestic Violence Order – videos available in Auslan, Arabic, Mandarin, Persian/Farsi, Spanish, Thai and Vietnamese
- Legal Services Commission SA – When there is an Intervention Order against you
- Law Handbook SA – Tenancy issues and Intervention Orders
- Legal Aid Commission or Tasmania – Defendant Health Liaison Service
- Safe at Home – Information for family violence offenders
- Magistrates Court – Information for respondents
- Legal Aid Victoria – If an application has been made against you
- Magistrates’ Court of Victoria – Responding to an Intervention Order
- Legal Aid WA – Procedure for FVROs
- Legal Aid WA – Responding to applications
- WA Police – Restraining Orders