Best PFA Lawyer In Pittsburgh PA
What If A Person Lies To Get A PFA?
At Spivak Law Firm, we provide strong, aggressive defense at Protection From Abuse (PFA) hearings in Pittsburgh and all surrounding counties, including: Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Indiana, Mercer, Washington, and Westmoreland.
Our clients often ask us if the alleged victim will face any consequences for lying or exaggerating to the court in order to obtain the Temporary PFA order.
Unfortunately, in our experience, the answer is: no.
People falsely accused of abuse may file a complaint with the police, but the district attorney’s office is unlikely to prosecute for fear of having a chilling effect on other people seeking protection.
Even in extreme circumstances, district attorney’s offices rarely prosecute plaintiffs who have filed repeated PFA petitions in multiple counties with outrageous, unsubstantiated accusations that are later dismissed.
It is commonly known that some people abuse the PFA system in order to gain leverage in a divorce or child custody action.
At Spivak Law Firm, we handle all family law and criminal defense matters, including: PFA defense, criminal domestic violence defense, divorce, child custody, child support, and criminal record expungements.
To schedule a free consultation with an experienced PFA defense attorney, 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 and Criminal Charges
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.
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.
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.
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.
Despite PFA, Pittsburgh Wife Brutally Murdered
A Protection From Abuse (PFA) Order is a powerful tool that restricts an abuser from having any contact with his or her victim under threat of arrest.
But, tragically, a PFA in some cases is still just a piece of paper.
On New Year’s Day, a man from Duquesne was charged with homicide and arson for setting a fire that killed his wife. According to news reports, the man tied her up, poured vodka on her, and lit the alcohol.
Two weeks earlier, she had obtained a Temporary PFA against him. But the PFA did not save her life.
Spivak Law Firm provides strong, aggressive representation for plaintiffs and defendants at PFA hearings in Allegheny County, Beaver County, Butler County, Clarion County, Fayette County, Indiana County, Washington County, and Westmoreland County.
To speak with an experienced PFA lawyer, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.