Dormont Family Law
PFA Hearing: Do I Need A Lawyer?
Q: I’ve been served with a PFA. Do I need an attorney?
A: Yes.
In Pittsburgh and surrounding counties, a free attorney is provided to anyone alleging abuse in PFA Court.
Therefore, if you are a PFA defendant, you should level the playing field by hiring an attorney to represent you.
Otherwise, you will be negotiating with and potentially facing off in court against a seasoned PFA lawyer.
A Final PFA carries significant consequences.
You may be evicted from your home and restricted from your children. You may lose your job. You could even lose your liberty and go to jail if accused of violating the PFA.
Spivak Law Firm provides strong, aggressive defense at Final PFA hearings. If necessary, we subpoena documents and witnesses. We are experienced trial lawyers.
We offer a free consultation for PFA matters and generally charge a flat fee so our clients know upfront exactly how much our representation will cost.
For more information, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Tracking PFA Defendants
Under Pennsylvania law, a Protection From Abuse (PFA) order carries serious consequences.
It may evict you from your home, restrict you from your children, and even lead to your arrest.
New legislation may further strengthen the law by requiring PFA defendants to wear an electronic monitoring device.
Dozens of other states allow GPS monitoring for domestic-violence suspects.
In Pennsylvania, such devices are commonly used for criminal defendants.
PFAs are administered by family courts, though violating a PFA order may lead to criminal charges including Indirect Criminal Contempt, which carries a maximum six-month jail sentence.
The legislation regarding electronic monitoring comes on the heels of the 2018 law requiring a person under an active PFA order to turn over their firearms to local law enforcement within 24 hours.
Spivak Law Firm provides strong, compassionate, cost-effective representation at PFA hearings. For a free consultation, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
CYF and Parental Rights
Children have the right to visit with both of their parents in a case involving Children Youth and Families (CYF).
If a parent is not currently involved, the agency will try to offer the parent services and visitation to begin to form a relationship between them and the child.
The exception to these efforts would be if there was a documented account of the parent hurting the child or other children.
In a case like that, the agency would investigate what happened and see if it is reasonable to provide services while still assuring your child’s safety.
Spivak Law Firm handles all family law matters, including: child custody, child support, divorce, Protection From Abuse (PFA) and CYF. To schedule an appointment, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Child Custody: Parenting During COVID-19
Parents of young children may take solace or even find helpful tips or simple wisdom in hearing from others working through the challenges of parenting during the pandemic.
In a recently published letter, Lydia Kiesling relates meltdowns shared with her 6-year-old daughter during the lockdown:
“For months, she and I have found ourselves locked in an awful duet of upset and recrimination. I yell; she yells; we both cry. As March turned into April turned into June – as “you’ll see your friends soon” became “at least there will be kindergarten in the fall” became hopefully it will be safe by first grade” – it grew clear that even the most cosseted children won’t get out of this situation unscathed.”
She praises a seminal book on parenting: How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk, Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish.
The book reminded her that life is flying by:
“I spent so much of the early pandemic days in a holding pattern that I failed to realize that the pandemic had become reality – that our crisis mode urgently needed to be retooled for a longer journey, emotionally as much as logistically. Regardless of how we feel about this period, it is happening, and the days continue to pass.”
Spivak Law Firm handles all areas of family law, including: child custody, divorce, child support, spousal divorce, and Protection From Abuse (PFA). To schedule a consultation, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
PFA Orders May Affect Divorce
Protection From Abuse (PFA) orders can significantly affect a divorce.
A PFA can evict a person from their own home for an extended period of time. If you are going through a divorce, a PFA can evict a spouse from the marital residence and provide the other spouse leverage for maintaining the residence as part of the divorce settlement.
A PFA can also restrict a parent from his or her children. This could have a detrimental effect on your custody rights as you proceed through divorce.
If your custody rights are restricted due to a PFA, you may also be required to pay child support as a result since the other parent is primarily raising the child.
Spivak Law Firm handles all family law matters, including: divorce, child custody, child support, PFA defense, PFA for victims, division of assets and debts, spousal support, and alimony.
To speak with an experienced family law attorney, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Child Custody and Separation Anxiety
Separation anxiety is normal and happens as children begin to differentiate between things that are safe and familiar and things that are new and different.
Classic symptoms include clinginess when a parent or caregiver is present, and crying or short tantrums right after the person leaves the room or home.
For most kids, separation anxiety sets in between 8 and 12 months of age and fizzles out around age 3.
But for kids who have a condition called separation anxiety disorder, which affects between 3 and 5 percent of children, those meltdowns can persist into elementary school and even after. They may escalate over time and include physical symptoms such as headaches and stomach aches.
The current pandemic has added an extra layer of stress and disruption. Symptoms might increase, especially in households where one or more parents are essential workers who are now home less often.
Spivak Law Firm handles all areas of family law with a special focus on child custody, mental health, drug addiction, and domestic abuse.
To speak with an experienced child custody attorney, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Talking to Kids About Divorce
Parents going through a divorce should take steps to protect their children’s emotional health.
Professionals recommend that parents determine in advance what they will say to their kids.
Parents should make clear that the divorce has nothing to do with the children, and work together to ensure consistency in their daily routines.
Individual counseling or family counseling may be helpful to address any lingering concerns.
Spivak Law Firm handles all family law matters, including: child custody, child support, divorce, and Protection From Abuse (PFA).
To schedule a consultation with an experienced family law attorney, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Child Custody: Back to School Amid COVID-19
In Pennsylvania, many school districts are offering parents three options for school amid COVID-19:
- Option #1: Go to a physical classroom inside their school building
- Option #2: Attend school online only
- Option #3: Choose a hybrid of the first two options by going to a classroom for part of the week and attending school online for the remainder
Parents who share custody of their children may not agree on which option to choose. One parent may feel that send their child into a classroom is too risky given the coronavirus. One parent may feel strongly that the risk of infection by sending the child into a physical classroom is low and necessary to ensure proper learning.
If the parents cannot agree, then a hearing officer may make the decision for them at a school-choice hearing. Both parents will get the opportunity to explain their positions, and the hearing officer will make a decision based on the children’s best interests.
Spivak Law Firm provides strong, compassionate, cost-effective representation in all child custody and family law matters. Call us at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Couples Break Up In PFA Court
Under Pennsylvania law, Protection From Abuse (PFA) orders require a family or intimate relationship between the alleged victim and abuser.
While some rare cases pit parent against child or brother against brother, the vast majority of cases occur between spouses or ex-lovers.
PFA court can be highly emotional, as people are torn from their children, evicted from their homes, and fear losing their jobs.
An abuser often wants to reconcile with the person who obtained the PFA against them. In these situations, it is hard for them to accept that their relationship has been ended without an ability to speak or get closure.
Spivak Law Firm provides strong, compassionate, cost-effective representation at PFA hearings. To speak with an experienced PFA attorney, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
If You Witness Domestic Abuse
While domestic violence typically happens behind closed doors, in some cases it occurs in a public space or around friends or family members, meaning that other people may witness or be aware of the abuse.
Here are 3 tips for what you might do to intervene:
- Take into account your own safety as well as the survivor’s. Gather a group of people to stand nearby and either verbally or physically intervene.
- Contact the authorities if necessary.
- Approach the victim afterwards in a private space and provide them with the contact information of support services.
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.