Home » Family Law » Domestic Abuse – Understanding

This page is intended to help you best understand your rights and your position in taking the first step towards some real help.

Changes to Legal Aid mean you now need to provide evidence in writing that you have been a victim of domestic abuse to get legal aid for divorce, financial matters and issues concerning children. This is to prevent people pretending to be victims so they can get legal aid.

You only need one piece of evidence from the following list:

• A criminal conviction for a domestic abuse offence by your ex-partner
• A police caution for a domestic abuse offence given to your  ex-partner within the past two years
• On-going criminal proceedings for a domestic abuse offence against your ex-partner
• A civil protective injunction is in place or has been within the past two years
• An undertaking given by your ex-partner to a court in place of the court making protective injunction within the past two years
• A letter from a Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) confirming that either there is plan in place or one has been in place within the past two years to protect you from your ex-partner
• A finding of fact in the courts within the past two years of domestic abuse against you by your ex-partner
• A letter from social services (or a copy of their assessment) confirming that you  were a victim of or at risk of domestic abuse from your ex-partner within the past two years
• A letter from a domestic abuse refuge confirming you stayed for 24 hours or more because of domestic abuse within the past two years
• A letter from a GP, doctor, nurse, midwife or health visitor confirming a consultation has taken place within the past two years where you have presented with injuries or a condition consistent with being a victim of domestic abuse

We are in contact with all the local and national Domestic Abuse agencies, if you require further assistance please call us – we are here to help.