What happens next?

If the police officer agrees that your fears are reasonable, they follow a process that usually leads to your partner being told that they’re facing a criminal process. They may be taken into custody.

Your partner will have to attend court to respond to the peace bond application. If your partner agrees to the peace bond, a judge will order it, and they have to follow the conditions in it. If your partner doesn’t agree to the peace bond, a court date for the application will be set.

You’ll be contacted by Crown counsel who will guide you through the steps. The Crown counsel isn’t your personal lawyer — they’re employed by the Ministry of Attorney General and act as prosecutors on behalf of society as a whole. You don’t have to pay Crown counsel for their work.