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Bogus PFAs Turn Lives Upside Down
In many Pennsylvania counties, judges grant more than 90 percent of requests for a Temporary Protection From Abuse (PFA) order.
Judges tend to err on the side of caution, figuring that a person seeking protection must need it. After all, it would be tragic if the person seeking protection wound up injured or worse after a judge denied the PFA.
But judges should also consider how their decision to grant the PFA will affect the accused. Every day, PFA orders evict people from their homes, restrict parents from their children, and threaten people’s jobs and reputations.
At Spivak Law Firm, we are dismayed by some of the PFAs granted by judges based on weak allegations.
For instance, in one recent case, the person seeking protection admitted in her petition that she had not seen or communicated with the accused for a year.
In another recent case, the person awarded protection told the judge that the defendant only communicated with her subliminally.
We were successful in getting both cases dismissed. But the PFAs never should have been granted because the plaintiffs were not in reasonable fear of imminent bodily injury.
They caused unnecessary emotional and financial stress in people who did nothing to warrant a PFA.
At Spivak Law Firm, we provide strong representation at PFA hearings. If you’ve been falsely accused of abuse, call (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
PFA Courts Remain Open During COVID-19
Although courts across Pennsylvania have largely closed due to the coronavirus crisis, Protection From Abuse cases are still occurring due to the emergency nature of a PFA.
Spivak Law Firm is continuing to accept PFA clients and provide strong representation at PFA hearings.
A PFA is a restraining order that prevents all contact when there are allegations of:
- Physical violence
- Sexual violence
- Threats of violence
- Harassment
- Stalking
A PFA is a powerful tool that can instantly evict you from your home, restrict you from your children, result in termination from your employment and even land you in jail.
Spivak Law Firm provides strong, compassionate representation in all PFA matters. For a free phone consultation, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
PFA: Economic Abuse
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.
PFA and Guns
A Protection from Abuse Order (PFA) temporarily restricts you from possessing guns, even if the incident that gave rise to the PFA did not involve a gun.
A PFA issued after a final hearing will restrict your use of a gun for up to three years. If you are an avid hunter or a law enforcement official who depends on the use of guns for your livelihood, firearm restrictions may wreak havoc on your life.
Spivak Law Firm has assisted many law enforcement officers whose livelihoods depend on their ability to carry weapons.
Spivak Law Firm provides strong, aggressive defense at PFA hearings. For a free consultation, call Spivak Law Firm 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.
Domestic Violence Increases Wage Gap
Men make more money than women over the course of their lifetimes due in part to the disparate number of domestic violence incidents committed against women, according to a recent report from McKinsey and Company.
Women who suffer violence often miss work, become less productive, and lose their jobs or get picked over for a promotion.
The domestic violence perpetrator may further disrupt her work and embarrass her by calling repeatedly and showing up to make a scene.
Such behaviors have further increased the wage gap between men and women, the report states.
Spivak Law Firm handles all areas of family law and criminal defense with a focus on domestic violence and child custody. To schedule a consultation, 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.
Attorney Spivak Honored By Super Lawyers
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
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.
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.