South Hills PFA Lawyer
PFA: Dating Partners
If signed into law, House Bill 223 would provide dating partners in Louisiana the same protections in domestic-abuse cases as spouses are afforded.
Under current law, dating partners involved in domestic abuse cases may only be charged with simple battery, not domestic abuse battery, which carries more severe penalties.
It’s vital for dating partners to receive the same protections from battery as other abuse victims. Abusive behavior left unchecked tends to escalate, and domestic-violence laws include enhanced penalties to deter such behavior.
The danger is just as real in a dating relationship as in marriage. In fact, roughly 60% of the people killed in domestic homicides in Louisiana in 2016 were not married to their alleged killers.
Spivak Law Firm provides aggressive representation for plaintiffs and defendants in domestic violence cases, including Protection From Abuse (PFA), Children Youth and Families (CYF), and criminal domestic violence. To schedule a free consultation, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Domestic Abuse: Immigration
Since President Trump took office, domestic-abuse victims seeking help have been concerned about their possible deportation.
A recent survey of over 700 advocates and legal service providers found that 62% have observed an increase in immigration-related questions from survivors of violence.
The immigrant community has interpreted President Trump’s rhetoric and reports of increased enforcement to mean all are at risk. This anxiety has translated into behavioral shifts among some of the most vulnerable immigrants, including those trapped in violent situations.
Spivak Law Firm provides aggressive representation for plaintiffs and defendants in domestic violence cases, including Protection From Abuse (PFA), Children Youth and Families (CYF), and criminal domestic violence. To schedule a free consultation, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
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.
Prepare for Your PFA Hearing
If a Protection from Abuse Order (PFA) has been filed against you, it is important to begin preparing your defense as soon as possible. The person who filed against you will be prepared to testify and present evidence, so it is important that you present testimony and evidence to rebut the accusations against you.
Preserve text messages, emails, voicemails, and audio recordings that tend to support your version of events. If you have witnesses who were present at the time of the incident, it is important that they appear at the hearing to support your position.
Spivak Law Firm provides strong, aggressive defense at PFA hearings in Pittsburgh and all nearby counties, including: Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Indiana, Washington, and Westmoreland.
If you’ve been served with a PFA order, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
PFA: Help for Victims
Under current federal law, domestic-violence victims risk eviction from public housing for making excessive calls to 9-1-1.
Spivak Law Firm supports amending the Fair Housing Act to safeguard such victims from being punished for simply seeking police protections.
The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, and familial status.
Spivak Law Firm routinely represents plaintiffs and defendants in Protection from Abuse (PFA) matters in Pittsburgh and all surrounding counties, including: Allegheny County, Beaver County, Butler County, Fayette County, Washington County, and Westmoreland County. Call us today 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.
Served with a PFA On Thanksgiving?
Thanksgiving is a time to relax and feast with family and friends, but everyone has a relative with whom they don’t quite get along. Spending extended periods of time together could lead to conflict.
If you’re served with a Protection From Abuse (PFA) Order during the holidays, call Spivak Law Firm to speak with an experienced PFA attorney. A PFA is a powerful tool that can evict you from your home, restrict you from your kids, threaten your job, take away your guns, and lead to your arrest.
Many attorneys are not accessible during the holidays, but Spivak Law Firm always remains available by telephone even on Thanksgiving Day. If you’ve been served with a PFA, we understand that you are likely under significant stress. We are here to help.
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, Greene County, Indiana County, Washington County, and Westmoreland County.
For a free consultation, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
No Guns for PFA Defendants
Under federal law, people convicted of domestic-violence misdemeanors such as simple assault are banned from owning firearms.
The gun ban also extends to people who are subject to Protection From Abuse (PFA) restraining orders.
Guns are the most common method for killing intimate partners.
Laws restricting firearm access for people subject to restraining orders are associated with a 19 percent reduction in rates of intimate homicide, according to researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Spivak Law Firm handles all areas 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.
PFA and Criminal Records
Q: Will a Protection From Abuse (PFA) Order appear on my criminal record?
A: No.
A PFA is a civil matter that appears on the family court docket along with documents relating to divorce and child custody. It will not appear on the criminal docket, though employers increasingly review both dockets when making hiring decisions.
A PFA is not a criminal matter, though it can become one if you are merely accused of violating the Order. A PFA violation can lead to the charge of Indirect Criminal Contempt (ICC), which carries a six-month jail sentence and $1,000.00 fine.
Spivak Law Firm handles all PFA, criminal, and expungement matters. Call us today at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
PFA and Law Enforcement
If you’re a law-enforcement official, a Final Protection From Abuse (PFA) Order against you could mean the end of your career.
Under Pennsylvania law, a PFA prohibits the defendant from possessing a firearm. For law enforcement officials, the inability to possess a firearm may lead to their termination.
At Spivak Law Firm, we understand the serious consequences of a Final PFA. We have represented law enforcement officials at every level of government: federal Department of Homeland Security, state troopers, county sheriffs, and local police officers.
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, Greene County, Indiana County, Washington County, and Westmoreland County.
If you’ve been served with a PFA, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.