Victorian Current Acts

MAGISTRATES' COURT ACT 1989 - SECT 4L

S. 4L(1) amended by Nos 52/2008 s. 253(3), 53/2016 s. 106(1), 33/2018 ss 37(3), 44(4).

    (1)     A child must not be present during, or called as a witness in, proceedings in the Specialist Family Violence Court Division, other than proceedings for a family violence intervention order or a proceeding relating to a recognised DVO, if—

        (a)     the child is a family member of a party to the proceedings; or

        (b)     the proceedings arise from or include allegations of family violence and the child is a family member of the alleged victim of that family violence.

    (2)     However, subsection (1) does not apply if—

S. 4L(2)(a) amended by No. 68/2009 s. 97(Sch. item 82.13).

        (a)     the child is the accused, defendant or respondent (within the meaning of the Family Violence Protection Act 2008 ) in the proceedings; or

S. 4L(2)(b) amended by No. 33/2018 ss 37(3), 44(4).

        (b)     the Specialist Family Violence Court Division makes an order allowing the child to be present or called as a witness (as the case may be).

S. 4L(3) inserted by No. 53/2016 s. 106(2).

    (3)     For the purposes of subsection (1), a proceeding relating to a recognised DVO is a proceeding for the variation, extension or revocation of a non-local DVO that is a recognised DVO, both within the meaning of the National Domestic Violence Order Scheme Act 2016 .

Note to s. 4L substituted by No. 52/2008 s. 253(4).

Note

Sections 67 and 150 of the Family Violence Protection Act 2008 restricts when a child can be present during, or called as a witness in, a proceeding for a family violence intervention order.

S. 4M inserted by No. 51/2006 s. 4.