Violence or abuse cases usually go to Provincial Court. 

The victim is usually the main witness for the prosecution. 

Other people who saw or know about what happened might also be witnesses.

You must go to court if you get a document called a subpoena. You might also get a subpoena to be a witness in Family Court.

If you get a subpoena, you must go to court. 

The subpoena tells you which court to go to, when you must be there, and if you must bring anything with you. If you do not go to court, you could be arrested.

Before court
You will meet a lawyer from the Crown Attorney’s Office or the person who sent the subpoena. You can ask any questions you have. 

You can also call the Crown Attorney if you have any questions. Find contact information: https://novascotia.ca/pps/contact.asp

Checklist for going to court

Trauma is a term for what happens to us emotionally when we live through a very stressful event. Different people will react to the same event in different ways. 

When someone you know is living with abuse or violence, you might feel 

• overwhelmed
• afraid
• angry
• sad
• anxious. 

You might have trouble sleeping or eating, get distracted, or worry more than you used to. 

There are different types of trauma, caused by different things:

• Hearing about violence can change how you see the world.
• You might feel stress from supporting someone who was hurt.
• You might have ongoing pain from violence, war, racism, or disasters passed through families and communities.

You can deal with trauma as a support person by doing some of these things:

• talking with someone you trust
• taking care of your own needs
• talking  with others
• talking to a mental health professional

If you are close to someone who is experiencing violence or abuse, or if you suspect someone you know might be experiencing abuse, you might not know what to do. 

These resources can help:

Need a computer, printer, or a safe place to spend time? 
Visit a library or community centre. 

Need help filling out forms? 

• Ask someone you trust for help.
• Look for “form filling clinics” in your area. Search online or call 211. 
• Contact the Legal Information Society of Nova Scotia.
• Ask if you can get help from a social worker at a hospital, clinic, or sexual health centre, a shelter, transition house, or other community group. 
• Contact your MLA’s office. MLAs can help people who live in their areas stand up for their rights and find access to services.
• If the person who harmed you or someone you care about has been charged with a crime related to hurting you, you can talk with Victim Services.

Cultural Competence videos
These videos were created for our Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Legal Advice Program, but they can be used broadly beyond sexual harassment complaints.  We welcome anyone to view and share them.

Decolonizing family law through trauma-informed practices

Guidebook on Vicarious Trauma: Recommended Solutions for Anti-Violence Workers

Guide for Lawyers Working with Indigenous Peoples

1st Supplement to the Guide for Lawyers Working with Indigenous Peoples (September 2022)

Hidden in the Everyday: Financial Abuse as a Form of Intimate Partner Violence in the Toronto Area

Information about the effects of financial abuse on women and children, as well as the challenges in confronting it and the opportunities to prevent and address it.

The Knowledge Hub at the Western University Centre for Research & Education on Violence Against Women & Children has published a number of guides, fact sheets, and infographics related to trauma-informed health promotion and gender-based violence. Guides provide support for conducting trauma and violence-informed research and programming.