Apprehended Violence Orders (ADVO)
An Apprehended Violence Order (AVO) is a court order which prohibits a person from intimidating and approaching a protected person. They are sometimes issued on a provisional basis when you are charged with a criminal offence.
While most AVOs are taken against a domestic partner known as Apprehended Domestic Violence Order (ADVO), they can also be taken on a personal basis known as Apprehended Personal Violence Order (APVO) and offer legal protection from many forms of violence including physical abuse, sexual abuse and psychological abuse.
Although an AVO is not itself a criminal charge, being charged with ‘contravening an AVO’ is a criminal offence imposing a penalty of two years imprisonment and/or a fine of $5,500.
An AVO, whether imposed or consented to on a ‘without admission basis’, may impact you in several ways:
- Impact any current or future Family Law proceedings
- Require you to surrender any firearms you possess and suspend/revoke your firearms licence, as well as being prevented from obtaining a new firearms licence for 10 years following the expiration of any Final Order
- Impact your ability to work with children, your employment as a Security Guard or Police Officer
Read about AVO’s on the NSW Police website here.
If you are in need of an Apprehended Violence Order, or you have been served with an AVO and need to defend it, contact us to discuss your matter with an experienced criminal Solicitor.