Pgh PFA Lawyer
Domestic Violence: Control and Fear
Domestic violence often follows a pattern in which an abuser seeks to control every aspect of a victim’s life. Experts often refer to domestic violence as “intimate terrorism.”
“The perpetrator is engaging in a general pattern of control over the victim – her finances, her social contacts, the clothes she wears,” Deborah Epstein, who runs Georgetown University Law Center’s domestic violence clinic, recently told The New York Times.
Violence is the abuser’s means of enforcing that control – and of punishing any attempts to break it.
Spivak Law Firm handles all areas of family law and criminal defense with a focus on domestic violence and child custody. Call us at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Charged with Assault?
An emotionally charged argument could lead to assault charges, even if you didn’t physically harm the other person. A mere threat of bodily injury could result in criminal charges such as simple assault or terroristic threats—both of which are misdemeanors that could result in jail time and remain on your record for life.
Spivak Law Firm handles all areas of family law and criminal defense with a special focus on domestic violence and child custody.
Charged with assault? Terroristic threats? Harassment? Stalking? PFA violation? To speak with an experienced criminal defense attorney, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Pennsylvania Mayor Faces PFA
Even elected officials aren’t immune from Protection from Abuse (PFA) Orders.
Williamsport Mayor Gabriel J. Campana recently agreed to modify and extend the Temporary PFA placed against him by his wife. The small-town mayor was evicted from his home and prohibited from directly contacting his wife, except through email or text to arrange for child custody.
In Pennsylvania, a PFA is a powerful took that can:
- Evict you from your home;
- Restrict you from your children;
- Prohibit you from purchasing firearms; and
- Get you fired from your job.
Spivak Law Firm provides strong, aggressive representation at PFA hearings. For a free consultation, call Spivak Law Firm at: (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Accused of Domestic Abuse?
Are you accused of domestic violence or child abuse?
Have you been served with a Protection From Abuse (PFA) Order?
Have you been arrested or cited by police?
Are you under investigation by Children Youth and Families (CYF)?
Is your ex seeking sole or primary physical custody of your children?
Is your ex trying to terminate your parental rights?
Spivak Law Firm handles all areas of family law and criminal defense with a focus on cases involving child custody and domestic violence.
We provide strong, aggressive defense at Protection From Abuse (PFA), Children Youth and Families (CYF) and criminal domestic violence hearings.
We fight back against heinous abuse allegations, protecting your reputation and preserving your child-custody rights.
Our child custody cases are high-conflict with parents who communicate poorly, make false accusations of neglect or abuse, and seek to alienate the other parent from the children.
Our PFA cases are high stakes with parents who risk losing their children, their homes, their liberty, and their employment. We have successfully represented police and military officers, nurses, teachers, and other professionals subject to criminal background checks. For these people, their careers are on the line.
If you’ve been falsely accused of abuse, call Spivak Law Firm today. We treat our clients with dignity and compassion. We build the strongest possible defense so you can get your life back.
For a free consultation, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Domestic Violence Warning Signs
Domestic violence experts increasingly aim to identify “red flags” that often precede homicides and murder-suicides where abuse is present.
Warning signs include: strangulation, stalking behavior, sexual violence, gun possession, unemployment, substance abuse, and prior attempts by the victim to end the relationship.
Previous abuse by the suspect is the strongest of these “red flags,” according to experts.
Spivak Law Firm handles all areas of family law with a special focus on domestic violence and Protection From Abuse (PFA). Call us at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
4 Tips for PFA Defendants
It is important to maintain your composure at your Final PFA hearing.
It will be difficult to remain calm while the opposing party makes allegations of abuse against you, but walking into a hearing with a bad attitude may affect the judge’s opinion of you and add to the plaintiff’s credibility – even if the allegations are false.
To avoid discrediting your version of events, follow these four tips at your PFA hearing:
- Do not raise your voice in anger to the judge, your lawyer, or the other party;
- Do not shake your head, roll your eyes, or laugh while the other party is speaking;
- Do not interrupt the other party or the judge;
- Do not make mean-spirited comments about the other party.
If you have been served with a PFA order, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Post-Gazette Features Spivak Law Firm
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has once again featured Spivak Law Firm on issues involving family law and criminal defense.
The P-G recently published the article, Impoverished Parents Deserve Their Day In Court, written by Rebecca Canterbury, who will begin work at Spivak Law Firm as an associate attorney in the fall.
Attorney Todd Spivak, the owner of Spivak Law Firm and a two-time Pulitzer Prize nominee, assisted with writing and editing the article for publication.
The Post-Gazette routinely features Spivak Law Firm, publishing several articles of important legal commentary on child custody and Protection From Abuse (PFA) laws in Pennsylvania.
In Crack Down On Domestic Violence In Allegheny County, Attorney Spivak calls on Allegheny County to let specialized judges with extensive domestic-violence training oversee all PFA hearings.
In Improve Pennsylvania’s Domestic-Abuse Law, Attorney Spivak exposes the issue of bogus PFA orders and recommends ways to curb abuses in the system.
In Child Custody For Rapists, Attorney Spivak explains how rapists use family court to harass and intimidate their victims. Since the article’s publication, the Pennsylvania Legislature has taken action to safeguard the custody rights of rape victims.
Spivak Law Firm provides strong, compassionate, cost-effective representation in all family law and criminal defense matters. Call us at (412) 344-4900.
Served with a PFA?
If you’ve been served with a Protection from Abuse (PFA) order, you should begin preparing your defense immediately, as your PFA hearing will likely occur within just 10 days.
Spivak Law Firm provides strong, aggressive defense at PFA hearings in Pittsburgh and all surrounding counties, including: Allegheny County, Beaver County, Butler County, Fayette County, Indiana County, Washington County, and Westmoreland County. We work hard to protect your reputation, your job, and your child custody rights.
If you’re served with a PFA, we recommend taking the following actions:
- Call Spivak Law Firm for a free consultation.
- Avoid all contact with the plaintiff.
- Collect documentary evidence such as texts, emails, and photographs for your defense.
Served with a PFA? Call Spivak Law Firm today at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Domestic Violence Penalties
Domestic violence experts say that strangulation is a strong indicator for future homicide.
In 2015, six people were strangled to death in Pennsylvania. Studies show that the odds of becoming a homicide victim increase dramatically for women who reported strangulation by a partner in the past.
Pennsylvania lawmakers are now considering a bill to establish a felony strangulation law. The bill would rank strangulation as a second-degree felony or a first-degree felony if the defendant is named in an active Protection From Abuse (PFA) Order, uses an instrument of crime, or has been previously convicted of strangulation.
Spivak Law Firm handles all matters of family law and criminal defense with a focus on domestic violence. Call us at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Are PFA Hearings Fair?
If you’re a victim of domestic abuse, you can get a Temporary Protection From Abuse (PFA) Order against your abuser simply by telling your situation to a judge at an ex parte hearing. The alleged abuser receives no notice and may not attend the hearing.
Is this fair?
For true victims of domestic abuse, an ex parte hearing is often necessary to escape a violent relationship. But it is commonly known among family law professionals that many people abuse the PFA system just to gain leverage in child custody and divorce.
To speak with an experienced PFA attorney, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.