Where a client has been harmed by or is at risk of harm from a perpetrator of domestic violence, it may be necessary to act quickly. Providing it is safe to do so, we will invite you for a consultation to provide us with your instructions and to advise you about your legal rights and protection available. You and your child’s safety is of paramount importance.

We can advise you as to whether you may obtain family law Orders from the Court to protect you from further violence and whether you are entitled to public funding for this. The family law act injunctions that are available are as follows:

• Non-Molestation Order – this may be appropriate if you and/or your children are subject to violence or threatened violence. It may also be appropriate to seek this in cases of pestering, such as if you are receiving abusive text messages or repeated telephone calls in the middle of the night and where the Protection from Harassment Act is not sufficient. When this Order is made it carries an automatic power of arrest.
• Occupation Order – this excludes the other party from your home and/or the immediate surrounding area or other designated place when the violence and/or threats are very serious and where on balance it is better that the order be made.

As soon as we are instructed we act quickly and where appropriate can apply to the court within one day, without the other party knowing, to obtain an order to protect you and/or your children. We will liaise closely with our Social Welfare department if the issues in your case require their help.