Criminal Law

If you are the victim of domestic or family violence, you may have considered taking out a violence restraining order (VRO) against the aggressor. However, many people hesitate because of the perceived consequences to the person that they take the VRO out against, mistakenly believing that it will give them a criminal record.

VROs are becoming increasingly common in Australia, where they are often dealt with by criminal lawyers or criminal law experts. However, it’s important to understand that being served with a VRO is not the same as being charged with a crime, and that a VRO itself doesn’t have significant penalties.

What Exactly Is A VRO?

Ultimately, a Violence Restraining Order is a court given order that prevents someone from making contact with another person or group of people. In many cases, VROs are imposed against perpetrators of domestic or family violence, and they are designed to protect vulnerable or potentially weak individuals.

VROs usually prevent the recipient from coming into contact with certain people (except under special conditions) or from entering certain areas. For example, if you are served with a restraining order, you may not be allowed to come within 100 meters of a person, and you may not be able to enter the streets immediately surrounding their home.

Using a mobile phone while driving is dangerous, stupid and in most of Australia, illegal. The exact penalties for mobile phone use while driving vary by state, so it’s important to do a bit of research if you’re worried. However, the safest and best course of action is always to not use your phone while you’re on the road.

If you do get issued an infringement for using your mobile phone when you don’t believe that you should have, criminal lawyers may be able to help you resolve your case. Since the penalties for mobile phone use are significant in most of Australia, it’s often worth fighting infringements if you don’t believe that you’ve done anything wrong.

What Are The Penalties For Mobile Phone Use While Driving In Western Australia?

In 2011, new laws came into place that make it completely illegal to use or touch your mobile phone while driving. Mobile phone use is distracting, and distracted drivers are more likely to make mistakes and cause accidents. The same penalties apply to all drivers, and they include:

$400 fine and three demerit points for using your mobile phone to send an email or check social media.
$400 fine and three demerits for making a phone call using a hand-held phone while driving.
$400 fine and three demerits for sending or viewing a video message while driving.
$400 fine and three demerits for sending or viewing text messages while driving.

As you can imagine, fines this big are major for a lot of people in WA, especially for those who work for a low wage. You may be able to get your demerits reduced with the help of a lawyer.

Does A VRO Go On Your Record?

What Are The Penalties For Mobile Phone Use While Driving?