Family Violence & Intervention Order Lawyers Melbourne
Family Violence & Intervention Orders
One allegation can change everything overnight. We help you respond strategically, whatever side of it you’re on.
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Family violence isn’t always what people expect it to look like
Family violence doesn’t have to be physical to be real, and the Court takes that seriously. So do we.
Here’s what that actually looks like, and what we do about it:
You’re being financially controlled
Cut off from money. Left in the dark. Watching assets disappear while legal costs rise. We know the financial pressure tactics that often show up during separation, and we know how to uncover the full picture.
You’re constantly being intimidated or manipulated
Threats. Harassment. Pressure. Using the children to send messages or create fear. This is family violence under Australian law, even without a single physical incident, and the Court takes it seriously.
You’ve just been served with an Intervention Order
One allegation can remove you from your home, impact time with your children, and affect every part of your family law matter. We help you respond strategically, protect your position, and stop allegations from defining the entire case.
Your children are being withheld or used as leverage
Nothing cuts deeper. Cancelled visits. Ignored agreements. Last minute excuses. When your children are being used as a pawn, every day matters, and we move quickly.
You don’t have to keep absorbing this.
If you’ve been served with an order
Just been served with an intervention order? Here’s what matters most.
The first 48 hours after being served matter enormously, and getting this wrong can affect far more than the order itself.
Don’t contact the other party to “sort it out”
This can be treated as a breach, even with good intentions, and significantly worsens your position.
Don’t ignore the court date
Failing to respond doesn’t make the order go away, it usually makes the outcome worse.
Understand your options before your first hearing
Consenting without admissions, contesting the order, or negotiating its terms are all different paths with very different consequences. Get advice before you decide.
Recognise the wider impact
An IVO can influence parenting arrangements and the tone of your entire family law matter, not just the order itself. This is exactly why responding strategically from day one matters so much.
If you’re the one experiencing it, here’s how we help:
We help you apply for protection where it’s needed
If you’re at risk, we help you pursue an Intervention Order and any urgent measures needed to keep you and your children safe.
We make sure financial control doesn’t dictate your options
If you’ve been cut off from money, options like spousal maintenance and funding through JustFund exist specifically so financial control doesn’t force you into an unfair settlement.
We build a case that reflects the full picture
Documentation, timelines, and evidence of patterns of behaviour, not just isolated incidents, this is what makes a real difference to how your matter is heard.
We protect your relationship with your children throughout
Family violence proceedings and parenting arrangements are deeply connected. We make sure your safety and your children’s wellbeing are addressed together, not as separate problems.
Lock down your digital life
Change passwords, remove shared devices, and check cloud access. If they had access once, assume they still might.
Keep everything in writing
Communicate via text or a parenting app only. Verbal conversations leave room for denial and distortion.
Be careful what you disclose
What you say to third parties, including support services, can potentially be raised in proceedings. Not everything is as private as you think.
Document everything
Keep a timeline of incidents, payments, and interactions. Contemporaneous notes can become powerful evidence.
Get strong legal representation early
Delay gives the other side time to control the narrative. Early strategy means a stronger position and far fewer surprises.
A Practical Guide for Mothers Navigating Parenting After Family Violence
A Practical Guide for Fathers where an IVO is preventing contact with your children
A Practical Guide for Fathers where an IVO is preventing contact with your children
Worried about what this will cost you? We’ve thought about that too.
Free first
appointment
Meet Melanie and get honest strategic advice before you spend anything
Fixed fees where
we can
Where appropriate, we offer fixed fee arrangements, so you have greater certainty around costs from the outset.
Funding options available
through JustFund
Eligible clients may be able to fund their legal fees and repay them at the end of their matter, even if you have no funds available right now.
Transparent
billing
Clear communication. No hidden costs. No surprise invoices.