Ex Parte Application

An ex parte application is a request to the court made by one party without giving notice to the other party first.

In family cases, it is used for urgent matters, such as:

• an interim protection order
• an injunction to stop a spouse selling or hiding assets

Why it matters: in an emergency, you do not have to warn your spouse before asking the court for protection. This helps where warning them could put you or your assets at risk.