Who does the law protect?
Does the law only protect people who are married?
No. Many different people can apply for a court order against another person with whom they are linked by a domestic or family relationship.
These include:
- People who are, or have been, married to each other.
- People who are, or have been, civil partners.
- People who are, or have been, living together as husband and wife or in an equivalent relationship as same sex couples (co-habitees).
- People who have, or have had, an intimate personal relationship with each other which is, or was, of significant duration; for example a ‘mistress’ who has not cohabitated.
- People who have agreed to marry each other (provided that the agreement did not end more than three years ago).
- People who live, or have lived, in the same house (other than as employer and employee, or landlord and tenant, or lodger) Close relatives, including parents, grandparents, stepparents, sisters, brothers, uncles, aunts, nieces, nephews, first cousins, children, grandchildren, and stepchildren.
- Parents of a child, or others who have or have had parental responsibility for a child, perhaps by agreement or due to a residence order.
- Where a child has been adopted, or freed for adoption, the natural parents and grandparents of the child may apply for an order against: the child, the adoptive parents, anyone who has applied to be the adoptive parent, anyone with whom the child has been at any time placed for adoption, and thesepeople can apply for an order against the natural parents or grandparents.
Even if you do not fall into any of these categories, you may still be able to obtain an order. We suggest that you contact us.
Can a child apply for protection?
Yes. It is possible for a child to apply. Usually someone over 18 must help the child to make the application. If the child is under 16 the court will allow the application to be made only if it is satisfied that the child understands what is involved.
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