I have been served with an intervention order. What do I do?

Last checked: 31 October 2026

The short answer

Read every condition and follow it from the moment police serve you, even if you think the claims are wrong. Breaking a condition is a criminal offence, even if the protected person says it is fine. You can agree to the order without admitting anything, ask about an undertaking, or contest it. Get legal advice before your court date, and go to court.

Key dates and time limits

• Interim order and safety notice conditions apply as soon as police serve you.
• Fill in the online Pre-Court Information form at least 7 days before your hearing.
• If police gave you a family violence safety notice, your first court date is within 14 days.
• An appeal to the County Court must be made within 30 days of the decision.

Step by step

1. 1

   Read the papers and follow every condition

   You may get an application and summons, an interim order, or a family violence safety notice. The conditions start once police serve you. No contact includes calls, texts, email, social media and messages through other people. If the order says you must leave the home, you must go, and if you need your things, ask police how to collect them.

2. 2

   Deal with any guns or weapons

   An order can require you to hand in guns and weapons and can suspend or cancel your firearms licence. Police can search for and remove them. A final order can stop you holding a gun for the life of the order plus five years. If you need a licence for work, ask the court about applying to be declared a non-prohibited person.

3. 3

   Get legal advice before court

   Call Victoria Legal Aid on 1300 792 387 before your court date. Some courts have free duty lawyers on the day, and you can ask for one on the Pre-Court Information form or at the registry. If the case goes to a contested hearing and you have no lawyer, the court must order Victoria Legal Aid to offer you a lawyer for the cross-examination. You cannot question the protected person yourself.

4. 4

   Choose your option

   You can agree to the order without admitting the allegations, which is called consent without admissions, and still ask for changes to conditions. You can offer an undertaking, a signed promise, but only if the applicant agrees, and police are less likely to accept one. Or you can contest it, which means more court dates and a hearing with evidence. If you do not go, the magistrate can make an order without hearing from you.

5. 5

   Think about your children

   An intervention order can change, suspend or cancel a family law parenting order. The magistrate can still allow time with your children, for example with written contact only about care arrangements. Bring copies of any family law or Children's Court orders to court. Tell the court about any child protection orders.

6. 6

   Go to court and use the support there

   Arrive by 9 am and tell the family violence counter you are there. Respondent practitioners at court give non-legal support and can refer you to programs. The magistrate may order a male respondent to attend a men's behaviour change program. A family violence intervention order is civil, so it does not give you a criminal record, but breaching it can.

Who can help

Forms and the law