The bitter court battle between Married At First Sight alumni Jacqui Burfoot and Ryan Donnelly has come to a halt, with both parties no longer pursuing the apprehended violence orders they filed against each other last year.
Legal Feud Reaches a Resolution
The former reality TV couple, whose on-screen marriage disintegrated into a public social media feud, had each taken out legal orders against the other. According to court documents seen by the Daily Mail, Ryan Donnelly's application for an AVO was formally withdrawn and dismissed on October 2. This followed a successful mediation session held in September.
Magistrate Peter Thompson made the decision to withdraw Donnelly's AVO and vacate a hearing that had been scheduled for January 16. Meanwhile, the interim restraining order granted to Jacqui Burfoot by Launceston Magistrates Court in March is currently adjourned sine die, meaning it has been put aside indefinitely.
A Timeline of the Court Drama
The pair first made headlines in June last year when they both appeared at Campbelltown Local Court after Donnelly applied for an order against his former TV wife. It was the first time Burfoot had come face-to-face with Donnelly since filming for season 12 of MAFS wrapped in November 2024.
Burfoot attended court with her MAFS co-star and now-fiancé, Clint Rice. Outside the court, her barrister, Marcia Edwards, stated it would be prejudicial for Burfoot to speak to reporters. Donnelly, however, spoke to the press, saying he had found the situation "very difficult emotionally" and claimed his former screen wife had posted about him "almost incessantly".
He expressed his disappointment, telling reporters, "It wasn't the adventure I had planned. I wanted to have this amazing chapter of my life and have a comfortable circle, and leave amicably and as friends."
What Happens Next?
The court informed the Daily Mail that Burfoot's AVO was not withdrawn but does not have a scheduled hearing date unless she wishes to relist the case. The matter was initially set to return to court on July 29, 2025, but Edwards and Donnelly's lawyer reportedly locked in a mediation date for September last year.
At the time, Edwards told the court, "What we propose is to book in for a contested hearing early next year at the next available date. We hope to vacate that if mediation is successful." The subsequent vacation of the January hearing date indicates that the mediation did indeed prove successful, bringing an end to this chapter of their very public fallout.
