What it is: Domestic violence charges and Apprehended Violence Orders (ADVO/APVO). AVOs can affect where you live, your family time, your job and your visa.

What’s changing:

• Increased Police focus and specialised Court lists.
• Technology-facilitated abuse (phones, tracking, online harassment) is front-of-mind.
• Procedural settings: closed Court during complainant evidence, video statements, and limits on self-represented defendants directly questioning complainants.

How we defend and resolve:

• Test hearsay and context; collect messages and CCTV that tell the full story.
• Seek practical, tailored conditions where protection orders are appropriate.
• Warn about firearms licensing consequences—even where an AVO is accepted without admissions.