Protection Orders
Emergency Protection Orders
Emergency Protection Orders address the immediate safety of victims of family violence. An EPO can order an abuser not to go to places where the victim regularly goes and not to communicate with the victim. The EPO can allow the victim to stay in the home and order the abuser to leave.
An EPO can be applied 24 hours/day, seven days a week. There is no cost. The EPO must be scheduled for a review in the Court of Queens Bench no later than nine working days after it is granted.
Queen's Bench Protection Orders
Queen's Bench Protection Orders cover the same types of things that an EPO does. Where an EPO is for the immediate safety of a victim of family violence, a Queen's Bench Protection Order provides for longer term planning and protection. It can be issued for up to one year. Additional conditions can be added to the Order. For example, it can order the abuser to reimburse the victim for loss of money or finances resulting from family violence. It can say which party can temporarily possess personal property. It can authorize counselling for a child without the consent of the abuser. A Queen's Bench Protection Order can be granted when an EPO is reviewed. It can only be applied for by a victim.
Warrant Permitting Entry
A Warrant Permitting Entry allows a police officer to enter a location named in the warrant to search for, assist or examine a family member and, with their consent, remove a victim for their safety. A Warrant Permitting Entry can only be applied for by the police.