Our Melbourne based lawyers can assist you in applying for a personal safety intervention order or an intervention order. This order can be made by a magistrate to protect you from physical or mental harm caused by someone who is not your family member, such as a former friend or neighbour, or a family member.

Our firm can advise you about the process for applying for the appropriate order.  To apply for an order you will need to fill out an application for an order at court. Then you have an interview with the court officer at court. The application will then need to be decided by a magistrate.

A magistrate will make an order if the respondent has done any of the following things to you:

• assault
• sexual assault
• harassment
• property damage or interference
• serious threats
• stalking

The order will have conditions about how the respondent can behave towards you. The respondent must follow the conditions of the order.

Responding to an order

This process will begin when the police   serve you with the copies of the application, summons and any interim orders made. You will be provided with a court hearing date and it is then important that you obtain legal advice because an order may affect your rights.

Some of the options for you if you are served with an intervention order are:

• Agree to an order being made while disagreeing with what is said in the application – this is called ‘consenting without admissions’
• Contest the order. You should be legally represented at this hearing before a Magistrate
• Offer an undertaking but the applicant must agree to this
• Agree to attend mediation with the applicant  (if appropriate)

When an intervention order is made

An intervention order does not give the respondent a criminal record, but being found guilty of breaching an order may have serious consequences. Our firm will give you expert advice on your options and explain how the system works.