Monthly Archives: August 2019

PFA Destroys Careers

Posted on August 30 2019 by Todd Spivak and Rebecca Canterbury

If you’ve been served with a Protection From Abuse (PFA) order, your career may be at risk.

The PFA petition alleging abusive behavior is a public record that may be viewed by your employer.

You may be especially at risk if your employment requires background checks such as nurses, teachers, coaches, and daycare providers.

Others at risk include police officers, security guards and others whose jobs require them to possess a firearm.

Under newly restrictive laws in Pennsylvania, gun possession is expressly prohibited so long as the PFA remains active.

Spivak Law Firm provides strong, aggressive defense at PFA hearings in Pittsburgh and all surrounding counties, including: Allegheny, Fayette, Beaver, Butler. Indiana, Mercer, Washington, and Westmoreland.

We have helped to save the careers and restore the reputations of police officers, homeland-security officers, state troopers, registered nurses, teachers, coaches, and government employees.

Served with a PFA? Call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.

Child Custody Schedules

Posted on August 25 2019 by Todd Spivak and Rebecca Canterbury

When a court has ordered shared custody between parents, it can be particularly challenging to alter that joint schedule.

But there are a number of circumstances where a judge may consider changing a custody schedule, including, when you or your ex:

Attempt to alienate the child from the other parent;
Repeatedly denigrate the other parent to the child;
Are charged or convicted with a crime;
Are incarcerated;
Are investigated by Children Youth and Families (CYF);
Abuse drugs or alcohol, or;
Relocate outside of the county.

To speak with an experienced child custody lawyer, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.

Effective Parenting

Posted on August 25 2019 by Todd Spivak and Rebecca Canterbury

The most effective parents are authoritative, according to the recently published book “Love, Money and Parenting.”

Authoritative parents use reasoning to persuade kids to do things that are good for them.

Instead of strict obedience, they emphasize adaptability, problem-solving and independence.

The book distinguishes authoritative parents from authoritarian parents – defined, by contrast, as issuing directives, expecting obedience from their children, and using corporal punishment to instill fear and inflict punishment.

Kids raised by authoritative parents report better health, higher self-esteem, and are less likely to abuse drugs or alcohol, according to the authors.

Spivak Law Firm handles all areas of family law with a special focus on child custody and domestic abuse. To schedule a consultation, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.

Expungements v. Limited Access Orders

Posted on August 20 2019 by Todd Spivak and Rebecca Canterbury

For decades, Pennsylvania offered virtually no relief for people convicted of misdemeanors and felonies to move beyond their criminal records and join the workforce.

Expungements were available only to people charged with crimes that were dismissed or withdrawn, or to people convicted of low-level summary offenses after a period of five years.

But now the Pennsylvania legislature has provided a new form of relief for people convicted of second- and third-degree misdemeanors through what are called limited access orders.

Unlike an expungement, a limited access order does not erase the information. Instead, it restricts employment agencies and internet websites from accessing any information relating to a conviction or arrest.

To determine if you are eligible for an expungement or limited access order, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.

PFA: Economic Abuse

Posted on August 20 2019 by Todd Spivak and Rebecca Canterbury

Economic abuse is a common tactic used by abusers to gain control and power in a relationship.

Economic abuse is present in 98 percent of abusive relationships, according to the National Network To End Domestic Violence.

Economic abuse includes methods of financial control such as withholding money, forbidding the victim from working, and controlling how all of the money is spent.

The effects of economic abuse can be devastating. In fact, 60 percent of domestic violence survivors reported losing their jobs as a direct consequence of the abuse.

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.