Family Law & IVO Crossover – Melbourne, 2026

June 15, 2026

In many family violence matters, legal issues do not arise in isolation. Instead, clients  often find themselves navigating the overlapping pressures of Intervention Orders,  potential criminal charges, and urgent parenting concerns –all at once. 

This case highlights how early, strategic intervention across each of these areas can  significantly improve outcomes. 

The Initial Situation

Our client first engaged Nardi Lawyers on an urgent basis, just days before a listed  Intervention Order hearing following an alleged family incident. 

At that early stage: 

• He had participated in a police interview but had not yet been charged    • The future of the relationship remained uncertain  
• His primary concern was re-establishing time with his children  

Like many clients in this position, his immediate focus was narrow -understandably  centred on the upcoming Intervention Order hearing, without full visibility of how the  situation might evolve across other jurisdictions. 

The Interim Intervention Order

An Interim Intervention Order was made, including standard but critical exceptions: 

• Communication with his former partner was permitted strictly for parenting  arrangements  
• Time with the children was allowed by written agreement or pursuant to any  Family Law Act orders  

While these exceptions are designed to preserve parenting relationships, in practice  they often rely on cooperation between the parties. 

In this case, that cooperation did not occur. 

Despite the existence of lawful communication pathways, the other party did not  respond to our client’s attempts to make arrangements. As a result, the practical  effect of the Intervention Order was that our client’s time with his children came to a  halt. 

This is a common pressure point in matters involving Intervention Orders and  parenting. Clients are often told they can communicate or spend time with their children -but  without enforceable family law orders, those exceptions can become ineffective if the  other party disengages. 

Recognising this early, we advised the client that the issue was no longer confined to  the Intervention Order. Instead, it required a coordinated strategy across both  Intervention Order proceedings and initiating a Family Law parenting matter with the  other party.  

Parenting Matter

To restore meaningful time with the children, the client engaged Nardi Lawyers to act  in his parenting matter. 

This allowed us to: 

• Move beyond reliance on informal written agreement  
• Initiate steps toward enforceable parenting arrangements  
• Position the client to re-establish time with his children without delay  

By addressing the family law aspect promptly, we avoided the common situation  where clients remain in limbo -technically permitted to see their children, but  practically unable to do so. 

Our Approach

At Nardi Lawyers, we routinely act in matters where Intervention Orders, criminal  allegations, and family law issues intersect. 

Our approach is to: 

• Identify overlap early  
• Advise clients on the full legal landscape -not just the immediate issue       • Implement a coordinated strategy across all relevant jurisdictions  

In this case, what began as a last-minute Intervention Order matter quickly evolved  into a broader legal strategy aimed at restoring the client’s relationship with his  children. 

By expanding the scope of representation early, the client was able to move from a  reactive position to a proactive one – focused on achieving meaningful, enforceable  parenting outcomes.