If you are in immediate danger, call 911.
A protection order is a court order made under the Family Law Act to protect a person at risk of family violence. It can bar someone from contacting you, from coming to your home, workplace or your children’s school, or from possessing weapons. Police can enforce it, and breaching it is a criminal offence.
Family violence is defined broadly. It includes physical and sexual abuse, and also threats, stalking, harassment, controlling financial behaviour and psychological or emotional abuse. Exposing a child to family violence is itself family violence under the Act.
Applications can be made in Provincial Court or Supreme Court, and in urgent situations without notice to the other person. We help people prepare safety-focused applications, and we also act for people who have been served with an application and need to respond.
What we help with
- Urgent applications for protection orders
- Parenting arrangements and exclusive use of the family home where there are safety concerns
- Responding to a protection order application made against you
- Changing or ending an existing protection order
- Coordinating family law steps with any related criminal case
How it usually works
- 01
Safety first
Where there is an immediate risk, we focus on getting protection in place before anything else, and can connect you with transition houses and victim services.
- 02
Prepare the application
The application explains what has happened and what protection is needed, supported by your evidence.
- 03
Hearing
Urgent orders can be made quickly. The other person then has a chance to respond, and the court decides whether the order continues.