Criminal Defense

Charged with Assault?

Posted on March 10 2017 by Todd Spivak and Rebecca Canterbury

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.

Clean Your Criminal Record

Posted on February 14 2017 by Todd Spivak and Rebecca Canterbury

Under existing Pennsylvania law, only summary convictions may be removed from your criminal record. Under a new law, you may also petition the court to limit access to second and third degree misdemeanor convictions.

Misdemeanors in the second and third degree include offenses such as:

Criminal trespassing;
Vandalism;
Recklessly Endangering Another Person; and
Indecent Assault.

Under the new record-sealing law you may be eligible to conceal your record from public view if you maintained a clean criminal record for ten years following your conviction.

At Spivak Law Firm, we erase and seal criminal records for a low, one-time fee. For more information, call us at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.

PFA and Criminal Charges

Posted on February 6 2017 by Todd Spivak and Rebecca Canterbury

If you’ve been accused of perpetrating domestic violence or child abuse, you may be facing a Protection From Abuse (PFA) Order and criminal charges such as assault, harassment, stalking, or terroristic threats.

At Spivak Law Firm, we generally advise our clients to continue the PFA hearing until after the criminal case is resolved. The district attorney could use the PFA hearing transcript against you in criminal court.

Based in Pittsburgh, Spivak Law Firm provides strong, aggressive representation for clients in Allegheny County, Beaver County, Butler County, Fayette County, Indiana County, Greene County, Washington County, and Westmoreland County.

If you face a PFA or criminal domestic-violence charges, call Spivak Law Firm to schedule a free consultation at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.

Attorney Spivak Honored By Super Lawyers

Posted on February 5 2017 by Todd Spivak and Rebecca Canterbury

Todd Spivak, attorney and owner of Spivak Law Firm, has been selected to the 2017 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers list.

Super Lawyers reserves this honor “for those lawyers who exhibit excellence in practice.”

Only 5 percent of attorneys in Pennsylvania receive this distinction.

Attorney Spivak will be featured in Super Lawyers Magazine, Pittsburgh Magazine, and Philadelphia Magazine, reaching more than one million readers.

A former investigative reporter, Attorney Spivak has won numerous national awards and was twice-nominated for The Pulitzer Prize.

Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Attorney Spivak focuses his practice on all areas of family law and criminal defense with a special focus on Protection From Abuse (PFA) and child custody.

To schedule a free consultation, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.

Child Custody & Domestic Abuse

Posted on January 23 2017 by Todd Spivak and Rebecca Canterbury

In some extreme cases, mothers seeking to protect their children from abusive fathers are disbelieved by the courts and even sanctioned for parental alienation.

Such outlier cases form the basis of a recently released documentary by filmmaker Rachel Lewis, who spotlights the issue of mothers who have lost custody of their children to abusive fathers. The film warns that violent men can use the court system to further control and intimidate their exes by asserting their child custody rights.

Spivak Law Firm handles all areas of family law with a special focus on high-conflict child custody and domestic violence. Call us at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.

PFA: Help for Victims

Posted on January 4 2017 by Todd Spivak and Rebecca Canterbury

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.

DUI Law: Blood Tests

Posted on January 3 2017 by Todd Spivak and Rebecca Canterbury

The U.S. Supreme Court in Birchfield v. North Dakota recently declared warrantless blood draws made during DUI arrests unconstitutional. The Court reasoned that a blood draw poses substantial privacy concerns because a blood test reveals more about a person than simply blood alcohol levels.

However, because of the less intrusive nature of breath tests, warrantless breathalyzer tests are still permissible.

Prior to Birchfield, defendants who refused blood testing were regarded as having the highest level of impairment and faced the most severe penalties associated with a DUI offense. But now DUI offenders who previously refused blood testing may now be charged and sentenced as having the lowest level of impairment.

To speak with a Pittsburgh DUI and criminal defense lawyer, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.

Accused of Domestic Abuse?

Posted on December 7 2016 by Todd Spivak and Rebecca Canterbury

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?

Posted on November 22 2016 by Todd Spivak and Rebecca Canterbury

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.

Post-Gazette Features Spivak Law Firm

Posted on November 15 2016 by Todd Spivak and Rebecca Canterbury

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, Clean The Slate In Pennsylvania: The Commonwealth Should Make It Easier To Expunge Criminal Records And Give People A Fresh Start In Life, written by attorneys Todd Spivak and Rebecca Canterbury.

The Post-Gazette routinely features Spivak Law Firm, publishing several articles of important legal commentary on Protection From Abuse (PFA), child custody, and criminal-record expungement laws in Pennsylvania.

In Clean The Slate, Attorney Spivak and Attorney Canterbury critique a new Pennsylvania law that for the first time seals criminal information from public view for people convicted of second- and third-degree misdemeanors.

In Impoverished Parents Deserve Their Day In Court, Attorney Canterbury reveals how exorbitant filing fees in Allegheny County prevent low-income parents from asserting their child-custody rights.

In Crack Down on Domestic Violence in Allegheny County, Attorney Spivak recommends that only specialized judges with extensive domestic-violence training oversee 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 sexual predators use family court to harass and intimidate their victims.

Spivak Law Firm provides strong, compassionate, cost-effective representation in all family law and criminal defense matters. To schedule a consultation, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.