Crime
Case note: a peace and good behaviour application
Published · Updated
The application
Our client was served with an application for a peace and good behaviour order under the Peace and Good Behaviour Act 1982 (Qld).
These applications are made in the Magistrates Court by a private complainant rather than by police, and they are the usual mechanism where a dispute between neighbours or acquaintances escalates but does not fall within the domestic violence framework.
The background here was a dispute between neighbours that was alleged to have escalated to threatening behaviour.
What was done
The first step was to review the material relied on and the accounts of other witnesses. That review indicated the matter was suited to being resolved rather than fought.
On that basis, mediation was proposed to the complainant. Discussions continued on the day of the first mention, and mediation was offered to the complainant in our presence, as the complainant was not legally represented.
The mediation option matters in this jurisdiction. A peace and good behaviour application is frequently a symptom of an ongoing relationship between people who will still be living next to each other after the court is finished, and an order does not fix that.
The result
The matter resolved at mediation and the complainant discontinued the application. Both parties avoided the cost of a contested hearing and the delay that comes with it.
Every matter turns on its own facts. Whether an application can be resolved depends on the allegations, the material available, and whether the other party is willing to engage. Nothing here indicates what would happen in another case.
Last reviewed 3 August 2026 by the TWC Lawyers team. Queensland penalty units and court fees are indexed on 1 July each year. Check current figures before you rely on them, or ask us.