On 8th March 2014, Domestic Violence Protection Orders (DVPOs) were introduced across England and Wales to provide protection to victims of domestic abuse in the immediate aftermath of an incident. With a DVPO, your partner can be banned from returning to your home and from having contact with you for up to 28 days. This has immediate effect allowing you time to consider your options and get the support you need.

Domestic Violence Protection Orders can be used where there is not enough evidence to charge an alleged perpetrator and can provide you with short term protection. It is designed to give a victim the time and space they need to obtain the help of a support agency.

The police may issue a Domestic Violence Protection Notice on the spot if they have reasonable grounds for believing that a perpetrator has used or threatened violence towards a victim and the victim is at risk of future violent behaviour. The alleged perpetrator must be over the age of 18 and be one of the following relations to the victim: 

• they are married or have been married;
• they are cohabitants or former cohabitants;
• they live or have lived in the same household, otherwise than merely by reason of one of them being the other’s employee, tenant, lodger or boarder;
• they are relatives;
• they have agreed to marry one another (whether or not that agreement has been terminated); or
• they are either a parent or have parental responsibility for a child. 

Following this, the Family Proceedings Court must hear the case and decide whether to make the Domestic Violence Protection Order which can last between a minimum of 14 and a maximum of 28 days.

Breach of a DVPO is an arrestable offence and will be treated as a breach of a civil order under S.63 of the Magistrates Court Act 1980. If the perpetrator is arrested for breach of the order they will be held in custody and brought before the magistrates’ court within 24 hours from the time of arrest.

If the police are not prepared or able to issue a DVPO notice and you are fearful of your safety, you should contact Ansons Solicitors.

Our family law team will identify the most appropriate course of action in your case and will be able to represent you at court if it becomes necessary. If your case is extremely urgent our family lawyers can offer an out of hours appointment.

Domestic abuse can be intimidation, pestering, harassment, threats of violence or actual violence inflicted upon you by a spouse, civil partner, person with whom you are or with whom you have been cohabiting or other certain associated people such as extended family members. Anyone can experience domestic violence regardless of ethnicity, religion, class, age, sexuality, disability or lifestyle.

Ansons Solicitors in Lichfield and Cannock can quickly help you secure an order: 

• stating that someone must not use violence against you, threaten to use violence against you or harass you;
• preventing someone from calling, texting or communicating with you via social networks such as Facebook and Twitter;
• requiring someone to leave your home and not return to it and that you are allowed to remain living in your house for a set period of time; or
• preventing someone coming within a certain distance of your home. 

If somebody has applied for an injunction against you, you will need legal advice and representation. We can help you reach a compromise if possible or alternatively, we can represent you in court if matters cannot be agreed.

If there are children involved our specialist solicitors can specifically advise about making arrangements for the children including residence and contact disputes.