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What legal advice we can offer?

Moonee Valley Legal Service provides FREE legal services for those who live, work or study within the City of Moonee Valley.

In line with our vision of social justice and equality for all, Moonee Valley Legal Service has nearly 40 years of experience of providing high quality legal services. These include outreach and community legal education sessions in an age, cultural and linguistically appropriate manner to disenfranchised and disadvantaged members of our communities living in the City of Moonee Valley.

For a brief overview of our past and continuing community legal engagements, please see below.
We note that we have grouped these by specific target groups for ease of reference:

What to expect when you see a lawyer? 

When you call to make an appointment, we will do conflict check to make sure there are no barriers preventing us from giving you the best advice.
If we cannot assist you, we will provide you with a referral to the most appropriate service.
If we can assist you, we will book you in for an advice session with a lawyer. All sessions are advice only unless the lawyer assesses that you require ongoing support.

Moonee Valley Legal Work Guidelines

Moonee Valley Legal Service has guidelines for the types of legal matters our service can assist with. In some instances, we can offer legal advice at an initial appointment but will be unable to provide legal assistance through ongoing casework. The types of legal problems we can generally help with include:

We can help with

What we can’t assist with

We take a range of matters into account when determining whether we can assist with ongoing case work support. We consider the merits of the case, whether the client encounters barriers (or otherwise has limited access to) legal assistance, the expertise of our lawyers, availability of assistance from other appropriate services or agencies, any public interest considerations and the urgency of the matter.

For a range of legal and practical reasons we are generally unable to assist with the following legal problems:

We cannot help with
Tenancy

We are here to help residents living public housing to resolve their legal matters. In partnership with Gadens lawyers, we offer a Tenancy Clinic on a weekly basis to public housing tenants in the City of Monee Valley. The clinic assists clients with matters such as:

  • Repairs
  • Eviction
  • Rental arrears
  • Neighbour disputes
  • Office of Housing Disputes

Common issues we assist with include mould which can lead to health problems for residents, urgent repairs of broken appliances including stoves and toilets, and rental arrears caused by inaccurate calculations by the housing office.

Victims of Crime Assistance

The previous VOCAT (Victims of Crime Assitance Tribunal) will be replaced. 

If you have sustained injuries as a result of an act of violence in Victoria then you may be eligible to receive financial assistance and support from the FAS

As of Monday 18 November, the new Victims of Crime Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) will commence.
This new process is less legally involved, as such MVLS is referring enquiries for victims compensation to FAS. 

The website and guidelines contain information about eligibility, the types of assistance available, decision-making considerations and the types of documentary evidence that are required.

FAS will assess whether people are eligible for compensation and assist them with applications for funding services which will aide their recovery.

Previously with VOCAT, some examples of financial assistance that a victim of crime may be eligible for include:

  • Reasonable counselling expenses
  • Reasonable medical expenses (including dental, optometry,
    physiotherapy, hospital and ambulance expenses)
  • The replacement of damaged clothing worn at the time of the crime
  • Lost earnings up to a maximum of $20,000
  • Special financial assistance – a lump sum payment of up to $10,000

 

Criminal

If you have been charged with a criminal matter, we may be able assist with negotiation with prosecutors, advice on the criminal court processes and your rights with police.
We frequently assist with the following types of matters:

  • Assault
  • Driving offences
  • Theft/robbery
  • Breach of court order
  • Drug offences
  • Property damage

 

Family Violence

Through our Safe from Harm Project with the Flemington Kensington Community Legal Centre, we support our community who are experiencing or have experienced family violence (women and men). We frequently assist with the following types of matters:

  • Applying for an intervention order
  • Responding to an intervention order
  • Understanding an intervention order
  • Parenting arrangements where there is an intervention order
  • Referrals to non-legal service providers

 

Family Law

We understand that Family Law matters can be difficult to discuss and offer a compassionate environment and communicate with full confidentiality during this emotional and stressful time.

We frequently assist with the following types of matters:

  • Separation
  • Divorce
  • Parenting arrangements
  • Mediation
  • Child Protection
Fines

We offer assistance and advice regarding outstanding fines including driving on toll roads without an e-tag, parking fines and public transport fines. Clients may have one fine, or multiple fines. We can advise on

eligibility and assist with the following:

  • Making a payment arrangement (payment plan)
  • Requesting an internal review
  • Requesting an enforcement review
  • Special circumstances application
  • Exceptional circumstances application
  • Family Violence Scheme

 

Divorce

DIVORCE CLINIC

Who can we help?

Are you an individual or couple looking for assistance with your divorce?

Have you been separated for at least 12 months? 

Were you married for more than 2 years?

Are you an Australian citizen or you are living in Australia now?

Do you live, work or study in Moonee Valley?

If you answered yes to all of the above questions, then our Divorce Clinic can help you to complete your divorce application.

Our next divorce clinic is on Thursday 30 January.

Contact us on 9376 7929 to secure your place in our divorce clinic (or send us a message below).

What to Bring

  • If you have a copy of your marriage certificate, you should bring it with you, if you do not have a certificate you may need to make an appointment with a lawyer after the clinic,
  • Any court orders (Family Violence, Parenting or Property),
  • Concession card if you have one,
  • A credit card.

Cost

  • While our service is free, please be aware that the Court charges a fee of $365 for most concession card holders and $1,100 for people without concession.*
  • For a sole application there is a cost for a ‘process server’, which varies but may be around $100.

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* Fees correct at December 2024 and may be subject to change.