Who can apply for a court order?
The court order you apply for will depend on your relationship to the respondent. Choose the option below that describes your relationship with the respondent to find out more.
Remember: a judge can only make the specific court order that you apply for.
My spouse
You can apply for a:
- Safety Order and an immediate Protection Order
and/or
- Barring Order and an immediate Interim Barring Order
My civil partner
You can apply for a:
- Safety Order and an immediate Protection Order
and/or
- Barring Order and an immediate Interim Barring Order
A person I live with, or lived with, in an intimate relationship
You can apply for a:
- Safety Order and an immediate Protection Order
If you have equal or greater ownership rights in the home than the respondent, you can also apply for a:
- Barring Order and an immediate Interim Barring Order
If you have less or no ownership rights in the home, you can apply for an:
- Emergency Barring Order
A person I was in an intimate relationship with but didn't live with
You can apply for a:
- Safety Order and an immediate Protection Order
My adult child
If the respondent is an adult child of yours , and not a dependent of yours, you can apply for a:
- Safety Order and an immediate Protection Order
If you have equal or greater ownership rights in the home than the respondent, you can also apply for a:
- Barring Order and an immediate Interim Barring Order
If you have less or no ownership rights in the home, you can apply for an:
- Emergency Barring Order
The other parent of my child(ren)
You can apply for a:
- Safety Order and an immediate Protection Order
Another adult who I live with
If you live with another adult in a 'non-contractual' relationship you can apply for a:
- Safety Order and an immediate Protection Order
An example of a non-contractual relationship might be two relatives living together. People living together in a contractual relationship, such as roommates or tenants, cannot apply for a domestic violence order.
| Short-Term Orders | Full Orders | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Relationship to Respondent | Protection | Interim Barring | Emergency Barring | Safety | Barring |
| My Spouse | Y | Y | N | Y | Y |
| My Civil Partner | Y | Y | N | Y | Y |
| A person I live with, or lived with, in an intimate relationship | Y | Y* | Y** | Y | Y* |
| A person I was in an intimate relationship with but didn't live with | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| My adult child | Y | Y* | Y** | Y | Y* |
| The other parent of my child(ren) | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| Another adult who I live with | Y | N | N | Y | N |
* Applicant must have equal or greater legal or beneficial interest as the respondent in the property
** Applicant has none or has less legal or beneficial interest than the respondent in the property
If you are not eligible for any domestic violence court order and are at risk contact the gardai immediately. You might also want to get legal advice.
You can learn more about the various orders available below: