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.
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?
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:
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:
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.
VOCAT Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal Applications
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 VOCAT.
We assess whether people are eligible for compensation and assist them with applications for funding services which will aide their recovery.
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
We cannot help with:
• Adoption
• Bankruptcy
• Body Corporate/Owners Corporation
• Building contracts
• Business partnerships
• Binding Financial Property Agreements
• Commercial Law
• Conveyancing Deeds/Trusts
• Neighbourhood disputes – Fencing and boundary line disputes
• Intellectual Property
• International law
• Loan Applications/Guarantees
• Maritime Law
• Personal Injury
• TAC
• Taxation
• Work Cover
We can help with:
• Centrelink disputes
• Consumer issues
• Crime (minor offences)
• Debt
• Discrimination
• Employment
• Family law: Separation and Children
• Family law: Separation and Children
• Fines and Infringements
• Guardianship
• Motor Vehicle Accidents
• Personal Safety Intervention Orders
• Power of Attorney (Advice only)
• Tenancy (Tenants only)
• Victims of Crime Compensation
• Wills and probate (Advice only)