Various legislation has been amended as a result of the Family Violence Legislation Reform (COVID-19 Response) Act 2020.

The amendments provide for:

• applications for Family Violence Restraining Orders and Violence Restraining Orders to be made online;
• increased flexibility for courts in allocating hearing dates and serving documents in relation to applications for restraining orders;
• police to be able to grant bail for breaches of a Family Violence Restraining Order or a Violence Restraining Order in urban areas, consistent with their existing power in regional areas;
• courts to be able to impose electronic monitoring requirements as part of a home detention order in relation to a restraining order, a bail condition, or a sentence.
• new offences and penalties for interfering with electronic monitoring equipment, or failing to follow the directions of a community corrections officer for electronic monitoring.

These amendments have been incorporated in the relevant By Lawyers Guides.

See Criminal Magistrates Court, under both Bail and Sentencing and also Restraining Orders for more information.