Arguing your case
The Court will usually ask the applicant to present their case first. This will either be the police if they made the application on behalf of the protected person, or the protected person if he or she made the application themselves.
The Court may allow you both time to:
- outline your case
- point out evidence that supports your case
- tell the Court which witnesses you will call
- point out any parts of the other party's witness statements (if any) and evidence that you disagree with or dispute.
If the Court doesn't allow you time to do this, they will simply direct the first witness to enter the witness box and start listening to the evidence.
Applicant's evidence
Oath or affirmation
The complainant may have to stand next to the witness box and make an:
- oath (religious promise), or
- affirmation (non-religious promise).
Both are promises to tell the truth.
The Court Officer will read the oath or affirmation and the complainant should then respond 'I do'.
Evidence in chief
Usually, the complainant will provide their 'evidence in chief' (the evidence they want to rely on) in a written statement.
Police can take the victim’s statement by video or audio recording and use this recording as all or part of the evidence in chief. This recording is called the Domestic Violence Evidence in Chief (DVEC) recording.
When the complainant gives evidence, or when the DVEC is played, the Court must be closed and everyone not involved in the case will have to leave the courtroom. The complainant may also be able to give evidence in other ways such as by audio visual link (AVL) or from another room. These options do not apply to proceedings that commenced before 25 November 2020.
Cross-examination
If you are represented by a lawyer, your lawyer will cross-examine (question) the complainant.
If you are self-represented, you are not allowed to directly ask the complainant questions about their evidence. The Court will appoint a suitable person from the court staff or a Justice of the Peace to ask your questions on your behalf. This person is called a Court Appointed Questioner.
The Court may also hear oral evidence if they give leave (permission).
After your lawyer or a Court Appointed Questioner have cross-examined the complainant, you will also get a chance to cross-examine the applicant's other witnesses.
Tip sheet: Cross-examination
Your evidence
After the applicant's evidence, the Court will give you a chance to give your evidence. You may have to stand next to the witness box and make an oath or affirmation. The Court Officer will read the oath or affirmation and you should respond 'I do'.
Cross-examination
If you provided your 'evidence in chief' (the evidence you want to rely on) in a written statement, you will start by being cross-examined (questioned) by the applicant. This may be the police prosecutor, if they applied for the AVO, or the protected person themselves or their lawyer, if they made a private application.
The Court may also hear oral evidence if they give leave (permission).
During cross-examination you should:
- listen carefully and think about each question before you answer
- ask that a question be repeated if you don't understand it
- admit if you don't know the answer to a question
- speak loudly, clearly and slowly
- give exact details, for example if the person swore tell the Court the words that were used
- try not to get angry, even if the applicant or the solicitor seems to be rude or aggressive
- ask for a break if you get upset.
Re-examination
If there are any issues you want to clear up that are raised in the cross-examination you may be able to give further evidence later. This is called re-examination.
You may get a chance to tell the Court your version of what has happened, and why you believe the AVO is not necessary, but only if the Court gives you leave (permission).
You can only give evidence about what you saw or what was said to you directly. The Court may ask you questions or ask you to explain some things in more detail. The Court may also ask you to move on to another point if they feel you have said enough about a certain issue or you are speaking about something that is not relevant to the case.
Your witnesses evidence
Although your witnesses may have prepared witness statements before the hearing, those witnesses will still have to come to court.
A court officer will bring your witness into the courtroom and take them to the witness box where they will make an oath or affirmation.
The applicant will usually cross-examine each witness.
After the cross-examination, you may have a chance to ask the witnesses any further questions. This is called 're-examination'. You should only re-examine your witness if you want to clear up issues raised in the cross-examination.
After the evidence
Sometimes, when there is a lot of evidence or are many witnesses, the Court will not be able to finish the hearing in one day. If this happens, the Court will adjourn the hearing until the rest of the evidence can be heard. Depending on when the Court is next available, the adjournment may be for a few weeks or for a few months.
The Court will give you and the applicant instructions on when to come back to court and who should come to court on that day. In some cases, your witnesses and the applicant's witnesses will all have to come back to court for the rest of the hearing.
If the hearing is adjourned, the applicant may ask the Court to make an Interim AVO to protect them until the day of the hearing.
If the Court has heard all the evidence, it may then make a decision.
Step by step guide: Presenting your case at the hearing