Emergency Intervention Orders
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Emergency Intervention Orders This booklet explains how victims of intimate partner violence in New Brunswick can seek temporary orders for enhancing their safety This booklet was produced by the Public Legal Education and Information Service of New Brunswick (PLEIS-NB). PLEIS-NB is a non-profit, charitable organization whose goal is to educate and inform the public about the law and legal processes. PLEIS-NB receives core funding and in-kind support from the Department of Justice Canada, the New Brunswick Law Foundation, and the New Brunswick Office of the Attorney General. This booklet was produced with the collaboration and funding of the Women’s Equality Branch and the Department of Justice and Public Safety. We also wish to acknowledge the valuable contribution of all of those service providers and stakeholders who reviewed the booklet and provided insights on how to make it accessible to the public. This booklet does not contain a complete statement of the law in this area and laws change from time to time. Anyone needing advice on his or her specific legal position should consult a lawyer. In 2018, New Brunswick enacted a law called the Intimate Partner Violence Intervention Act. This new law permits individuals experiencing intimate partner violence to apply for Emergency Intervention Orders. Jointly published by: Public Legal Education and Information Service and of New Brunswick P.O. Box 6000 P.O. Box 6000 Fredericton, NB E3B 5H1 Fredericton, NB Tel.: 506-453-5369 E3B 5H1 Fax: 506-462-5193 Email: pleisnb@web.ca www.legal-info-legale.nb.ca www.familylawnb.ca ISBN 978-1-4605-0430-7 March 2018 An Overview of Emergency Intervention Orders What is an Emergency of the Order are in conflict with Intervention Order? orders made under the Family An Emergency Intervention Services Act or Divorce Act, the Order (EIO) is an order made under conditions of the Emergency the Intimate Partner Violence Intervention Order will take Intervention Act on application of priority where they are necessary someone experiencing intimate for the safety of the applicant and partner violence. These orders any child. may contain a variety of temporary conditions to enhance the safety What if the couple are not living together when the application is of victims. They may include, made? for example, provisions for the applicant to temporarily stay in the That doesn’t matter. The applicant family residence (apartment, house, and respondent do not have to mobile home, etc.) while the partner live together at the time of an (respondent) must move out. application in order to request an Emergency Intervention Order. The Emergency Intervention Orders Emergency Adjudicative Officer are intended for situations where would not automatically reject an intimate partner violence has application for that reason. occurred or is likely to occur, and the situation is serious enough to Similarly, the application would not require an immediate response. be denied just because the couple has reconciled or continued to live Does an Emergency Intervention together after an act of intimate Order replace existing court partner violence. orders? Emergency Intervention Orders are not intended to replace other existing family law and criminal law responses to intimate partner violence. However, if the conditions EMERGENCY INTERVENTION ORDERS 1 Who can apply for an Emergency If they cannot come to an agreement, Intervention Order (EIO)? they will have to apply to the court Individuals experiencing abuse or and a Judge would decide. violence in an “intimate personal relationship” would be able to apply How long may the Order last? for an Emergency Intervention An Emergency Intervention Order Order. The Act defines intimate may last up to 180 days. Although personal relationship as: the conditions are temporary, they may offer some safety and stability individuals who are, or have ● while the applicant explores more been, married to each other; permanent solutions to intimate ● individuals who are, or have been, partner violence. If necessary, the in a common-law relationship Order may be extended. with one another; or ● individuals who are, or have been, in a dating or romantic How does relationship with each other even the Act define if they have never lived together. violence? Does an Emergency Intervention Order affect ownership of the home or personal property? No. The Order does not in any way affect the title or ownership • abusive, threatening, of the home. Although the Order harassing or violent may grant temporary exclusive behaviour, use of property, it does not affect • withholding food, clothing, ownership of any personal property and medical attention from held together or by one of you. If the their partner, home is leased by the respondent, • restricting shelter, the landlord may not evict the transportation and other applicant just because their name necessities of life as a way to is not on the lease. Eventually, the psychologically, physically, applicant and respondent will have sexually or financially coerce, to settle the division of their home dominate and control their and property through the family law partner. system. 2 EMERGENCY INTERVENTION ORDERS Conditions that can be included in an Emergency Intervention Order The Order may include a number of temporary conditions such as: ● Temporary exclusive ● Temporary possession and occupation of the residence: exclusive use of personal This means the applicant gets to property by the applicant or stay temporarily in the family respondent: residence (apartment, house, This means that specific personal mobile home) while the partner property could be set out in the (called the respondent) must move Order for exclusive use of either out. Even if the applicant’s name is the applicant or the respondent. not on the lease, the landlord could For example, it could say who will not evict the applicant. take possession of the pets. As well, the Order could say who can use ● Provision to stop the a vehicle, furniture, and so on. It respondent from shutting off might provide exclusive access to basic utilities for the residence. an individual’s “tools of the trade”. Terms used to Over the years, service providers, describe researchers, police and others, have Intimate Partner used various terms to describe violence Violence between individuals in an intimate personal relationship. You may have heard terms such as spousal abuse, family violence, and domestic violence. This booklet will use the term in the Act - intimate partner violence (IPV). EMERGENCY INTERVENTION ORDERS 3 ● Provision to prevent the ● Temporary custody of children destruction of property: to the applicant: This means the respondent would If it is considered to be in the best not be permitted to take or damage interests of any children who property in which the applicant are in the care and custody of the may have an interest. applicant or respondent, the Order may grant temporary custody to ● Removal of property in the the applicant. presence of a police officer or deputy sheriff: ● Seizure of weapons from the This means that a police officer or respondent: deputy sheriff would be directed to This means that the Order could go to the residence with a person include a provision for the police named in the Order to supervise to seize the respondent’s weapons, the removal of specific personal ammunition, and documents belongs. The officer will standby to related to the firearms. keep the peace while belongings set out in the Order are removed. The ● Provision to protect the officer will not assist with packing applicant’s privacy: up and removing belongings – so This means the Order may prohibit be sure to bring some helpers if the publication of the name and necessary. address of the applicant or a child as well as other identifying ● Removal of the respondent information. from the residence: This means, if there is an Order ● Provision requiring the for exclusive occupation of the respondent to stop further acts residence, a police officer may be of intimate partner violence. directed to remove the respondent from the home. ● No-contact provisions: AND, This means the respondent would not be permitted to communicate, any other provision directly or indirectly with the considered necessary applicant or other specified for the immediate safety persons. As well the respondent of the applicant. could not go near the applicant. 4 EMERGENCY INTERVENTION ORDERS Factors considered in Granting an Order When considering whether or not to grant an Emergency Intervention Order, the following factors must be considered: ▪ any history of intimate ▪ mental health concerns of partner violence the respondent; between the parties When granted, an and whether it has Emergency ▪ the relationship been happening Intervention Order status of the parties repeatedly and is given to the: (are they together or getting more • applicant; separated), and; • police, and violent; • Chief Firearms’ Ocer ▪ other circumstances for New Brunswick ▪ the nature and of the respondent such impact of the violence; as substance abuse, unemployment, access to ▪ whether there is evidence firearms and release from jail. of the respondent using coercive or controlling behaviour; ▪ any factor that may increase the applicant’s risk of being harmed. ▪ whether other family members, This could include factors such as such as children, are affected by pregnancy, age, health and family the violence; support. Existing orders such as family Did You Know? court restraining orders, peace bonds or criminal charges with no contact orders against the respondent do not prevent the applicant from getting an Emergency Intervention Order. EMERGENCY INTERVENTION ORDERS 5 Steps in Applying for an Emergency Intervention Order The applicant can use the online application form to start the process. Or, they can get a hard copy of the application form from any of the designated service providers or at the courthouse. However, they cannot submit the application themselves. Only the service provider can do that.