Abuse and violence within any family is a matter that our expert team handles with utmost care and sensitivity.
Domestic abuse can be emotional, physical, sexual, psychological and economic. It can be perpetrated by a partner with narcissistic tendencies and inflicted in many forms, such as violence, coercive control and harassment.
An injunction is a court order that either prohibits a person from taking a particular action or requires them to take a particular action - a breach of which is punishable as a civil or criminal offence. An injunction can be made at a final court hearing or in the interim and be permanent or temporary.
A family court injunction is a court order which can be made to prevent a spouse or partner, a former spouse or partner, a relative or other associated person from causing further harm to a party or restricting occupation rights in respect of the family home.
The Family Law Act 1996 affords protection to family members and other associated persons who are subjected to abuse or may otherwise be at risk of harm (in conjunction with, or independent of, reporting to the police and any criminal prosecution) by means of non-molestation and occupation orders.
A non-molestation order prohibits a person who is associated with the applicant and any relevant child from behaving in a certain way. A non- molestation order can forbid the respondent to use or threaten violence against the applicant, communicate with the applicant or encourage another person to do so. A non-molestation order can also forbid the respondent to enter the applicant's home or place of work or to go within a specified distance of it.
Breach of a non-molestation order is an arrestable criminal offence.
An occupation order regulates the occupation of the home. Such an order can state who is, and is not, permitted to live in all or part of the property, and who is to bear responsibility for payment of the mortgage or rent on the property.
As specialist family lawyers, we are able to identify, at a relatively early stage, if our clients and any relevant children are at risk of harm. We advise them on the types of orders and other measures which may be sought through the family court to protect them and safeguard their health and wellbeing.
We also advise clients who find themselves in a position where they are served with proceedings or threatened with applications for non-molestation and occupation orders.
We work with other teams at Sheridans in cases where technology is being used to harass or control clients, whether this be accessing confidential
information, posting personal information or images online or cyber-stalking. We advise clients about social and other media, and online security, and we take appropriate action if the perpetrator has breached their privacy.
We have established relationships and can recommend other professionals, such as therapists, to help survivors of abuse regain confidence and independence.
Sheridans has a specialist family team which provides advice in all aspects of family law, within a leading media, entertainment and technology law firm. We understand our clients’ needs for discretion, personal and bespoke advice in order to manage highly sensitive family cases.
Sheridans is a leading media and technology law firm whose lawyers combine in-depth legal and commercial knowledge with breadth of expertise and experience to give unparalleled advice to their clients.
