Information and referral officers (also known as IROs) are available at some Specialist Family Violence Courts. They help people involved in family violence matters.
They can support you through the court process, offering valuable information and care.
Information and referral officers can help you understand:
- the court process
- what happens in court
- family violence
- family violence intervention orders.
They can also make referrals and connect you with:
- family violence support services
- counselling services.
Court workers and other organisations may refer you to an information and referral officer, if they think it will be helpful for you.
Information and referral officers cannot give legal advice. To ensure you are fully prepared, it is a good idea to get legal advice about your case before going to court.
Which courts have an information and referral officer?
Information and referral officers work at Specialist Family Violence Courts at:
- Ballarat Magistrates’ Court
- Bendigo Law Courts
- Frankston Magistrates’ Court
- Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court
- Melbourne Magistrates’ Court
- Moorabbin Justice Centre.
If your hearing for a family violence matter is at one of the above places:
- it will be at the Specialist Family Violence Court there
- an information and referral officer should be available to help you.
You can learn more about Specialist Family Violence Courts on the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria website.
Who can information and referral officers help?
Information and referral officers can help if you are:
- an applicant (the person applying for an intervention order)
- an affected family member (the person to be protected by an intervention order; this might also be the applicant)
- a respondent (the person accused of family violence)
- supporting a respondent, applicant or affected family member.
Information and referral officers can usually help you even if they are helping someone else involved in your case. This will not affect the support they give you.
How else can I prepare for court?
For information to help you prepare for your hearing visit:
- Going to court for a family violence intervention order – affected family members
- Going to court for a family violence intervention order – respondent.
You can learn more with our video Going to court – how to plan for your day.
When can information and referral officers help?
If an information and referral officer is available when you are at court, they can usually help you on the same day.
They may also be able to support you by phone or email before or after your hearing.
Jump to How do I contact an information and referral officer? to learn more.
How can information and referral officers help?
They can answer your questions
An information and referral officer can answer questions about many topics, such as:
- how to fill in the Magistrates’ Court Pre-court information form (an important form to tell the court about yourself, how to contact you and what support you need for your hearing)
- different people’s roles at court
- how to get help from a duty lawyer and how long you might have to wait for this
- what to wear and what to bring to court
- what to do when you arrive at court
- what to expect and do in the courtroom
- what happened during your hearing
- what to do after your hearing
- what to do if your hearing is delayed or moved to another date.
They can connect you with support services
You can talk to an information and referral officer about what support services might work best for you. They can connect you with services such as:
- legal help (including specialist legal services, for example, First Nations and LGBTIQA+)
- accommodation and housing services
- gambling, alcohol and other drug services
- behaviour change programs
- family violence counselling
- mental health and advocacy services
- parenting programs
- work and education programs.
They can find more information and help
Information and referral officers might talk to other court workers and organisations such as:
- applicant practitioners
- respondent practitioners
- court registrars
- duty lawyers
- private lawyers
- Victoria Police
- Court Network.
They may do this to:
- get more information to help you
- make referrals for you to get further support
- help increase your safety or someone else’s.
Please note that information and referral officers cannot give legal advice. It is best to get legal advice (talk to a lawyer) as soon as possible.
How do I contact an information and referral officer?
You can ask an information and referral officer to help you or the person you are supporting in the following ways.
Before and after you visit court
Ask your local court to refer you to the family violence information and referral officer. They will then contact you. To find contact details for your local court, you can use the Find a court tool.
At court, you can:
- go to the front counter when you arrive and ask whether an information and referral officer is available (if they are busy, ask the registrar to make a referral so they can contact you when they are free)
- ask a duty lawyer, court staff or support worker if an information and referral officer is available
- look out for someone wearing a Specialist Family Violence Courts information and referral officer lanyard. The lanyard is purple with yellow and orange triangles. It has the letters ‘IRO’ in white on it. If you see this person, feel free to talk to them and ask for support.
Referral from a court worker or organisation
If you have been in contact with other court workers or organisations, they may ask an information and referral officer to contact you.
Video – Get to know an information and referral officer
In this video, information and referral officer Holly-Mae talks about:
- her role
- how she helps people going to court for a family violence matter.
Key things to remember
- Information and referral officers (IROs) are available at some Specialist Family Violence Courts. They can:
- help people involved in family violence matters
- offer you valuable information and care.
- Information and referral officers cannot give legal advice. It is a good idea to get legal advice (talk to a lawyer) before you go to court.
- Information and referral officers can usually help you even if they are helping someone else involved in your case. This will not affect the support they give you.
- To contact an information and referral officer you can:
- ask the court to refer you (this means they give your details to the information and referral officer, who will contact you)
- ask at the front counter when you arrive at court
- ask a duty lawyer, court staff or support worker if an information and referral officer is available
- look out for someone at court wearing an information and referral officer lanyard. The lanyard is purple with yellow and orange triangles. It has the letters ‘IRO’ in white on it.
More support and information
- Family violence and family violence intervention orders
- Going to court for a family violence intervention order – affected family members
- Going to court for a family violence intervention order – respondent
Visit Other support for violence, abuse and personal safety for information about:
- legal services and how to find a lawyer
- family violence and support services you can talk to about your situation
- services to support you if you are First Nations, LGBTIQA+, a migrant, refugee, young or older person
- free booklets, fact sheets, videos and other publications and resources.
Related links
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