The Domestic Violence Unit (DVU) is a specialist state-wide team of lawyers, domestic violence case workers, mental health workers and financial counsellors who work together to help clients who have experienced domestic and family violence with their legal and other needs.
The Domestic Violence Unit can help clients better understand their legal problems and the choices they have.
There is no cost involved with seeing one of our lawyers, case workers, mental health workers or financial counsellors. We are separate from other Legal Aid NSW lawyers. This means we can provide assistance even if clients are in dispute with someone who is receiving help from another Legal Aid office.
We can help victims of domestic and family violence with their legal and other needs. Clients can bring a person they trust like a support worker, close friend or family member. We can also book an interpreter to assist.
We can help with:
- Help with getting an Apprehended Domestic Violence Order (ADVO)
- Sorting out arrangements for children
- Sorting out property problems after separation
- Getting a divorce
- Getting child support and /or maintenance
- Help with sorting out problems with Community Services (DCJ or FaCS, once called DOCS)
- Help with victims support
- Immigration issues where a relationship has broken down because of domestic and family violence
- Assistance with legal problems to do with paying the mortgage, credit and debt issues and housing
- Help with defending an ADVO in some circumstances. For example if you are a victim of domestic and family violence
- Help with defending domestic violence criminal charges in some circumstances
Lawyers from the Domestic Violence unit provide services at free advice clinics and at the below local courts:
| Bankstown | Fairfield |
| Burwood | Liverpool |
| Wyong | Toronto (monthly) |
Lawyers from the Domestic Violence unit provide services at the Family Law Courts:
| Sydney Registry | Parramatta Registry |
| Newcastle Registry | Wollongong Registry |
| Albury Registry | Armidale (circuit location) |
| Broken Hill (circuit location) | Coffs Harbour (circuit location) |
Our duty lawyers are available in person Monday to Friday at the following FCFCOA Locations:
- Parramatta
- Sydney
- Newcastle
- Wollongong
At other locations across NSW, our duty lawyers are available in person when the FCFCOA is sitting at that location. At other times we can help by telephone.
Services our lawyers provide:
- Legal advice (by appointment, on the telephone or at free advice clinics)
- Help at court alongside the AVO list (see table above of which courts)
- Help at the Family Law Courts (see table above)
- Casework assistance in a range of legal matters including apprehended domestic violence orders, family law and care and protection matters
- Community legal education about domestic and family violence for community groups and other professionals
- Referral to other legal and non-legal help
Services our caseworkers, mental health workers and financial counsellors provide:
- Safety planning & risk assessments
- Non-legal advocacy with Police, Housing, Centrelink, banks or other lenders
- Financial health checks
- Budgeting
- Preparing for court & court support
- Referrals to appropriate services for counselling, housing, financial support/vouchers, courses (eg. parenting after separation, behaviour change) & to meet other identified client needs
- Other practical support
If you would like more information about the DVU and services we provide, please phone 1800 979 529.
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