Family violence is a serious issue in the Gippsland community.
The impacts of family violence can be wide reaching and extend into many different areas of law. Our lawyers can help you make sense of the legal problems that can arise when family violence occurs.Â
GCLS also has a strong relationship with family violence support services and can help link you in with them to ensure that you are also receiving as much non-legal support as you need.
Free legal help with intervention orders before Court
GCLS offers a free and confidential telephone advice service, staffed by our lawyers. We prioritise requests for advice involving family violence and will respond to your request for advice as soon as possible, usually within 24 hours if the request is made during business hours.
We can provide advice about whether an intervention order is appropriate for your circumstances.Â
If you already have intervention order proceedings underway, we can provide advice and negotiate with the police or other party about your intervention order application before you go to Court. In some cases, this can mean that you do not have to attend the Court hearing at all.
Free legal help with intervention orders at Court
GCLS provides free lawyers at Courts across Gippsland for victim/survivors of family violence in intervention order applications. These lawyers are usually called ‘duty lawyers’ and can provide advice, representation and referrals on the day that you have to attend Court. We can also assist respondents to intervention orders in some cases.
Our duty lawyer services are available at the following courts:Â
Bairnsdale Magistrates’ Court
Korumburra Magistrates’ Court
Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Court
Sale Magistrates’ Court
Wonthaggi Magistrates’ Court
To check whether our duty lawyers will be available for you at Court, please call us on 1800 004 402 or fill out our online ‘Request an Appointment’ form. Our duty lawyers receive a high number of referrals on Court days, so please contact us as early as possible prior to your Court date to ensure that we can help.
Other Ways We Can Help
People experiencing family violence will often have legal problems beyond intervention orders. We can help with many of the common legal problems that arise when family violence occurs, such as tenancy, parenting plans, debts, fines, infringements, divorce and Victims of Crime applications.
If you are feeling unsafe or in danger:
Please call the Police on 000 if you fear for your immediate safety or for the immediate safety of those around you.
To request a free telephone advice session, please call us on 1800 004 402 or fill out our online ‘Request an Appointment’ form. Our telephone line operates Monday to Friday, from 9am to 5pm.
If you are unable to access our telephone advice service, please fill out our online ‘Request an Appointment’ form and we can organise a face-to-face appointment.
