Section 31 Domestic abuse protection orders otherwise than on applicationI1I2I3I4
England and Wales
A court may make a domestic abuse protection order under this section in any of the cases set out below.
Family proceedings
The High Court or the family court may make a domestic abuse protection order against a person (“P”) in any family proceedings to which both P and the person for whose protection the order would be made are parties.
Criminal proceedings
Where a person (“P”) has been convicted of an offence, the court dealing with P for that offence may (as well as sentencing P or dealing with P in any other way) make a domestic abuse protection order against P.
But subsection (3) does not apply where the Court of Appeal is dealing with a person for an offence.
A court by or before which a person is acquitted of an offence may make a domestic abuse protection order against the person.
Where the Crown Court allows a person's appeal against a conviction for an offence, the Crown Court may make a domestic abuse protection order against the person.
Civil proceedings
The county court may make a domestic abuse protection order against a person (“P”) in any relevant proceedings to which both P and the person for whose protection the order would be made are parties.
In subsection (7) “relevant proceedings” means proceedings of a description specified in regulations made by the Secretary of State.
Annotations
Commencement
- I1
S. 31 in force at 27.11.2024 until the end of the specified period on 24.11.2026 in relation to specified areas by S.I. 2024/1191, regs. 1(2)(g), 2, 3(1) (with reg. 4) (as amended (21.11.2025) by S.I. 2025/1222, regs. 1(2), 2 and (25.3.2026) by S.I. 2026/342, regs. 1(2), 2)
- I2
S. 31 in force at 5.3.2025 until the end of the specified period on 26.11.2025 in relation to the specified area by S.I. 2025/261, regs. 1(2)(f), 2, 3 (with reg. 4)
- I3
S. 31 in force at 11.3.2025 until the end of the specified period on 24.11.2026 in relation to the specified areas by S.I. 2025/319, regs. 1(2)(f), 2, 3 (with reg. 4) (as amended (21.11.2025) by S.I. 2025/1222, regs. 1(2), 3 and (25.3.2026) by S.I. 2026/342, regs. 1(2), 3)
- I4
S. 31 in force at 28.4.2025 until the end of the specified period on 24.11.2026 in relation to the specified areas by S.I. 2025/515, regs. 1(3)(e)(f), 2 (with reg. 3) (as amended (21.11.2025) by S.I. 2025/1222, regs. 1(2), 4 and (25.3.2026) by S.I. 2026/342, regs. 1(2), 4)