There may be circumstances where you are concerned about your safety, or the safety of your children, because of the behaviour of a partner, former partner or family member.
Ahmad & Williams Solicitors can provide legal advice about the options that may be available to protect you and your family.
These matters can sometimes require urgent attention. Our Family Law team can discuss your individual circumstances, explain the legal options and help you understand the next steps.
If you are in immediate danger
If you believe that you or someone else is in immediate danger, contact the police or emergency services by calling 999.
Legal advice should not replace immediate assistance from the emergency services where someone’s safety is at risk.
Protective court orders
Depending on your circumstances, it may be appropriate to consider applying to the Family Court for legal protection.
Two types of order that may be relevant are:
Non-molestation orders
A non-molestation order is a type of court order intended to provide protection from domestic abuse.
Whether an application is appropriate and what restrictions may be included will depend upon the individual circumstances.
Occupation orders
An occupation order can deal with who may live in a family home or enter the home or surrounding area.
Eligibility and the type of order available depend upon factors including the relationship between the people involved and their connection with the property. [gov.uk]
Can an urgent application be made?
In appropriate circumstances, the court can consider making a non-molestation order or occupation order without the other person having received prior notice of the application.
The court considers the individual circumstances when deciding whether a without-notice application is appropriate. Current Family Court guidance includes factors such as the risk of significant harm to the applicant or a relevant child if an order is not made immediately. [judiciary.uk]
Our Family Law team can discuss your circumstances and advise on the legal options available.
Will I need to go to court?
Some injunction matters involve a court hearing.
If court proceedings are required, our team can explain the process, what may be expected from you and the arrangements for legal representation.
The precise court process will depend upon your particular case, so we will discuss this with you rather than assuming that every application will proceed in the same way.
What happens after an order is made?
If the court makes an order, there may be further steps required before or after it takes effect.
There can also be circumstances where further advice is needed if an order is not followed or circumstances subsequently change.
If you already have a court order and are concerned about what has happened since it was made, contact our Family Law team.
If you believe you are in immediate danger, contact the police or emergency services.
What if I do not want to go to court?
Court proceedings are not necessarily the appropriate course of action in every family matter.
Our team will discuss your circumstances with you and explain the options that may be available.
Where there are concerns about domestic abuse or personal safety, those concerns should be raised when obtaining advice so that they can be properly considered before decisions are made about the appropriate way forward.
Legal Aid and costs
You may be able to obtain Legal Aid for a domestic-abuse matter if the relevant requirements are satisfied. Current government guidance states that Legal Aid may be available where there is evidence that you or your children have experienced domestic abuse and you cannot afford the legal costs. [gov.uk]
[CLIENT TO CONFIRM THAT AHMAD & WILLIAMS CURRENTLY HOLDS THE RELEVANT LEGAL AID CONTRACT AND APPROVE THE FIRM-SPECIFIC LEGAL AID WORDING BEFORE THIS CLAIM IS PUBLISHED.]
If Legal Aid is not available, contact Ahmad & Williams Solicitors for current information about private fees and the likely costs of the legal work required.
Sensitive and confidential support
We recognise that enquiries involving domestic abuse and personal safety can involve highly sensitive circumstances.
Our team will discuss your situation professionally and explain the legal services available.
If you are completing our website enquiry form, please avoid including unnecessary sensitive or confidential information in your initial message. You can provide further information through the appropriate secure process once the firm has discussed your enquiry with you.
Speak to our Family Law team
If you require advice about an injunction or legal protection in connection with a family matter, contact Ahmad & Williams Solicitors.
Telephone: 0121 328 4282
You can also use our online enquiry form to provide the team with some basic information about your enquiry.