ADVOs and APVOs explained — how the orders are made, what they mean, and what to weigh before consenting.
Apprehended Violence Orders
Apprehended Violence Orders in New South Wales are made under the Crimes (Domestic and Personal Violence) Act 2007. An order made against a person who has a domestic relationship with the protected person is an ADVO; between people with no domestic relationship — neighbours, colleagues, strangers — it is an APVO.
An AVO is not a criminal conviction and does not, by itself, give you a criminal record. That is the single most common misunderstanding we hear. But the consequences are real: an order can dictate where you may live and go, it can affect a firearms licence and some occupations, it sits alongside family law proceedings — and breaching an order is a criminal offence.
Applications are brought either by police or privately by the person seeking protection. Who brings it changes how the matter runs.
How we act for you
We examine what is actually alleged and what evidence supports it, advise you on the real consequences of consenting versus contesting, and appear for you.
Where you need an order, we help you seek one and set out conditions that fit your circumstances rather than a standard template.
Often the fight is not about whether there is an order, but what it says. Conditions can sometimes be agreed without any admission being made.
Before you agree to anything
People often consent to an order at the first opportunity, believing it makes the problem go away. Sometimes that is genuinely the sensible course — it can be done without admitting the allegations, and it ends the proceedings quickly. Sometimes it is a decision with consequences that last for years, particularly where children, a firearms licence, or your work are involved.
Either way it should be a decision you make with advice, in full knowledge of what the order will say and how long it will last. Speak with us before the first court date if you can.
This page provides general information about the law in New South Wales. It is not legal advice and does not take account of your circumstances. Outcomes depend on the facts of each case and on the law as it applies at the time. Please speak with a solicitor about your matter.
AVO matters move quickly, and the first appearance often shapes everything that follows.
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