April* first received help from ARC Justice’s duty lawyer at a regional court, where our lawyer was helping people on the Family Violence Court list.
She was defending an intervention order application brought by the father of her children. That day, both sides agreed to withdraw their applications, but it was clear April’s legal problems were far from over.
She had fled the family home with her children and was living in a cramped two-bedroom unit at a relative’s place.
The house she’d left had equity, but her former partner had convinced her she had no right to it. She was also facing criminal charges for allegedly breaching the interim intervention order.
After we understood the full picture, ARC Justice provided holistic support across family violence, criminal and family law matters.
One of our lawyers represented April in the criminal case, where the breach charge was withdrawn and she received a good behaviour bond.
At the same time, April got advice on parenting and property issues. This integrated approach meant she didn’t need to tell her story multiple times or navigate separate systems alone.
The first mediation didn’t fully settle parenting arrangements, but the children’s participation in Kids Talk – a child-inclusive service – revealed how deeply the violence had affected them.
Meanwhile, tensions during handover were increasing. By working with family violence services, we made sure April and her children stayed safe, arranging for all handovers to happen at school so she didn’t have to face her former partner.
A second mediation settled both property and parenting issues. April received a fair cash and superannuation split and her former partner agreed to new parenting orders.
From her first contact with our duty lawyer to the final agreements, April experienced truly holistic support – continuous legal help, links to specialist family violence services and practical steps to build safety and stability. She left the relationship safer, financially stronger and with a more stable future for her children.
*Name changed