Greensborough Parent Addressing IVO & Parenting Arrangements

June 16, 2026

Legal issues arising from family breakdowns rarely exist in isolation. It is common for clients to be dealing simultaneously with an Intervention Order, potential criminal charges, and uncertainty around parenting arrangements.

This matter demonstrates how identifying that overlap early – and acting on it – can be critical to protecting a client’s position.

The Initial Situation

Our client, based in Greensborough, contacted Nardi Lawyers urgently in the days leading up to an Intervention Order hearing at the Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court following an alleged family incident.

At that point in time:

• He had taken part in a police interview but had not been formally charged
• The status of the relationship was unclear
• His immediate concern was resuming time with his children

Like many in this situation, his focus was understandably fixed on the upcoming court date, without a full appreciation of how the circumstances could develop across multiple areas of law.

The Interim Order & Its Practical Effect

An Interim Intervention Order was made, which included important but commonly misunderstood exceptions:

• The parties could communicate for the purpose of arranging parenting matters
• Time with the children could occur by written agreement or pursuant to any Family Law Act orders

On paper, these exceptions preserved the possibility of ongoing parenting. In practice, however, they depended entirely on cooperation. In this case, that cooperation broke down. The other party did not engage with our client’s attempts to organise time with the children. As a result, despite technically being “allowed” to see the children, our client’s time effectively stopped.

Recognising the Real Issue

This scenario arises frequently in Intervention Order matters. There is often an assumption that because communication or time is permitted, the issue is resolved.

In reality, without formal agreement, those permissions can be meaningless if one party disengages. We identified early that the core issue was no longer just the Intervention Order proceedings at the Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court. The matter had evolved into a broader parenting dispute requiring action in the family law jurisdiction.

Strategic Shift: Moving Beyond Informal Arrangements

To address this, our client instructed us to act in his parenting matter as well. This enabled us to:

• Move away from reliance on informal agreements
• Take steps toward formal, enforceable parenting arrangements
• Create a pathway for the client to re-establish consistent time with his children

A Coordinated Approach

At Nardi Lawyers, we regularly assist clients dealing with overlapping Intervention Order, criminal, and family law issues.

Our focus is on:

• Identifying when a matter extends beyond its original scope
• Providing advice that reflects the full legal picture
• Managing each aspect of the case in a coordinated and strategic way

In this instance, what began as an urgent Intervention Order matter in the Magistrates’ Court quickly became part of a broader strategy aimed at restoring the client’s parenting arrangements.

By expanding the scope of the matter early, the client was able to move from reacting to immediate legal pressures to taking control of the situation.

Rather than waiting for cooperation that was unlikely to come, we implemented a structured approach designed to achieve practical, enforceable outcomes – particularly in relation to time with the children.

This case highlights the importance of looking beyond the immediate issue and addressing the full legal landscape from the outset.