Every week, a lawyer from CHCLC is rostered to provide a Family Violence Duty Lawyer Service at the Ballarat Magistrates’ Court. The Service is offered on Tuesdays for Police applications and on Wednesdays for personal applications. The service includes Court representation as well as legal advice and negotiation between parties and/or their lawyers or the Police liaison.
The Family Violence Division at the Ballarat Magistrates’ Court has been a trial ground in Victoria to make the process of getting an Intervention Order as safe as possible for everyone. As a result, we have multiple agencies coming together on those days to help victims and perpetrators with the trauma and understanding family violence, these include:
Duty Lawyer Service provided by CHCLC and VLA
Family Violence Support Team for Victoria Police
Applicant and Respondent workers
Court Network Support
Gazetted Magistrates
Designated Family Violence Court Registrars
WRISC and Berry Street workers
Information about the Family Violence Duty lawyer services to Ararat and Stawell can be found here.