Spivak Law Firm

Based in Pittsburgh, PA

412-344-4900

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Post-Gazette Features Spivak Law Firm

PFA Pic11The 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.

Despite PFA, Man Guns Down Ex-Girlfriend

Man hitting table with fist, close-up

A Protection From Abuse (PFA) Order is a powerful tool that aims to restrict a perpetrator of domestic violence from having any contact with his victim.

But sometimes a PFA is just a piece of paper.

Earlier this year, 46-year-old business owner Stacey Pennington of central Pennsylvania was shot and killed by her former boyfriend Patrick Derr. She had an active PFA that prohibited him from possessing a firearm.

Four different women got PFAs against Mr. Derr in the last 20 years. Accusations included rape and multiple incidents of choking and strangling.

But none prevented the murder-suicide that occurred this past Labor Day in Mt. Gretna, a small town of just 1,500 people located 40 miles east of Harrisburg.

“She was the sweetest woman in the whole wide world,” said one woman at Ms. Pennington’s memorial.

Spivak Law Firm provides strong, compassionate representation for plaintiffs and defendants in PFA hearings. For a free consultation, call us at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.

Pittsburgh Man Faces Death Penalty

The Allegheny County district attorney’s office last month said it will seek the death penalty against Pittsburgh man James Karr, who is accused of knocking his wife unconscious and setting her on fire. The announcement came just ten days after Pennsylvania’s governor placed a moratorium on the death penalty.

Maureen Karr, an administrator at UPMC Mercy, got a Protection From Abuse (PFA) Order against her husband in December on grounds that he threatened to burn their house down. James Karr ignored the court order, killing his wife just hours after appearing at PFA Court in downtown Pittsburgh, according to police.

Prosecutors say the grisly incident met several criteria for the death penalty, which will be sought if James Karr is convicted of first-degree murder.

There are 186 death-row inmates in Pennsylvania, including nine from the Pittsburgh area. The state’s last execution occurred in 1999.

Spivak Law Firm provides strong, aggressive defense in all PFA and criminal hearings. Call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.