Debated in Parliament on 2 Sep 2019.
Mr Leon Perera asked the Minister for Law (a) for each year from 2015 to 2018, how many applications for Personal Protection Orders have been rejected by the Family Justice Courts; and (b) what are the main reasons for rejection.
Applications for Personal Protection Orders (PPOs) can either be rejected at the point the complaint is made or at the conclusion of a hearing.
A very small fraction of applications for PPOs is rejected at the point the complaint is made. Generally, these applications are rejected if the allegation(s) averred are, on the face of the complaint, insufficient to satisfy the definition of "family violence" under s 64 of the Women's Charter.
The vast majority of applications for PPOs proceed for a hearing. Whether the application for a PPO is granted or not depends on the facts of each case. An application for a PPO may, for example, be dismissed if the respondent shows that the force used was lawfully used in self-defence. Applications for a PPO may also be dismissed if the court is not satisfied that a PPO is necessary for the protection or personal safety of the applicant.
The statistics are as follows:
PAPERCUTS