Pgh PFA Lawyer
Assault in Pennsylvania
Q: Can I be convicted of assault even if I never laid a finger on anyone?
A: Yes.
Under Pennsylvania Law, assault consists of intentionally or knowingly causing physical harm to another person or attempting to do so, which puts the other person in fear of immediate bodily harm. Thus, you do not need to physically hit another person to be charged with assault.
Simple assault is a misdemeanor charge that may result in incarceration. Aggravated assault, which involves use of a deadly weapon or results in permanent bodily injury, is a felony charge that carries stiffer penalties.
At Spivak Law Firm, we strongly defend people charged with committing violent crimes such as assault. To have an experienced attorney review your case, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Parental Alienation
A common issue in custody battles is when a parent intentionally attempts to alienate the children from the other parent. Trying to prove the alienation can be difficult and many judges are reluctant to allow children to testify in court.
Experts recognize the tragic impact serious alienation has on children, as the children may go on to have psychiatric disorders, failed relationships, and dysfunctional lives.
Spivak Law Firm helps parents assert their child-custody rights in Pittsburgh and all surrounding counties, including: Allegheny County, Beaver County, Butler County, Washington County, and Westmoreland County.
Tips For A Positive Divorce
Divorce is often one of life’s most difficult and painful transitions, but there are things you can do to diminish the emotional toll.
Here are some tips for easing the pain of divorce:
- Practice empathy and forgiveness.
- Take the high road.
- Take responsibility for your actions.
- If you have children, focus on their happiness.
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.
Protect Against Online Harassment
Have you ever felt that your partner’s online behavior is out of control? Do they send constant messages that leave you feeling on-edge, use location features to track where you are, or demand to have access to your phone?
Here are some tips to protect yourself against online domestic abuse:
- Use strong, unique passwords to keep your accounts from being hacked.
- Use two-step verification to make your accounts more secure.
- Back up your data to secure and collect evidence of harassment.
- Browse the web privately so your partner cannot track your Internet history.
Spivak Law Firm handles all areas of family law with a special focus on domestic violence and Protection From Abuse (PFA). Call us at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Protect Kids From Trauma
Researchers have found that exposure to psychological abuse between parents is associated with more damage to the wellbeing of children as they get older than physical domestic abuse.
Social support has been found to be vital for recovery from traumatic events in childhood. However, this research reveals that exposure to high levels of psychological domestic abuse may be associated with a decrease in young people’s satisfaction with the social support they receive.
Spivak Law Firm handles all family law matters, including: divorce, child custody, child support, Protection From Abuse (PFA), and Children Youth and Families (CYF). 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.
Consequences for Violating A Custody Order
You should not withhold your children from the other parent unless there is a true emergency. Instead, you may file a custody action and obtain an enforceable order of court.
An order of court establishing custody or visitation rights may always be modified for the best interests and welfare of the children.
Failure to comply with an order of court by withholding your children from the other parent could result in a contempt action. Sanctions against you may include makeup time for the other parent and paying their attorney fees.
To speak with an experienced child custody lawyer in Allegheny County, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Harassment In Family Court
Leaving an abusive relationship should put an end to the abuse, but that is frequently not the case when there are children involved. The abusive parent may utilize the child custody courts to harass the victim, even when the abused party has a Protection From Abuse (PFA) order.
The courts often favor shared custody schedules, which are unfortunately ideal for abusers, as this affords them the opportunity to continue controlling the abused spouse through the children.
Because the courts often favor shared custody, it is crucial to speak to an experienced child custody attorney who may develop a workable agreement that keeps parental conflict to a minimum.
Spivak Law Firm’s attorney has extensive experience with child custody cases involving domestic violence. To schedule a consultation call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Stalking: Penalties in Pennsylvania
Under Pennsylvania law, the crime of stalking occurs when a person places another in reasonable fear of bodily injury or substantial emotional distress by either:
- Engaging in a course of conduct or repeatedly committing acts toward another person, including following the person without proper authority; or
- Engaging in a course of conduct or repeatedly communicating to another person with intent to place them in fear or emotional distress.
A first offense is graded as a first-degree misdemeanor, but if it is a subsequent offense against the same person, you could face third-degree felony charges.
A conviction can result in jail time and costly fines, and also has the potential to affect your child custody rights, employment, and right to own a firearm.
Served with a PFA? Charged with assault? Terroristic threats? Harassment? Stalking? 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.
Charged with Assault?
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.