Pgh PFA Lawyers
Domestic Abuse and Mass Shootings
Experts say there are striking parallels between the factors that drive domestic violence and mass shootings.
FBI data on mass shootings from 2009 to 2015 show that 21 percent of the attackers had previously been charged with domestic violence.
For instance, Omar Mateen, the gunman in the nightclub massacre in Orlando, Florida, had reportedly beaten and attempted to control his ex-wife during their brief marriage.
“Take the dynamic of coercive violence to its most horrible extreme,” according to an article in The New York Times, “and it looks an awful lot like how the Islamic State treats women. It is intimate violence on an industrial scale.”
Spivak Law Firm handles all areas of family law and criminal defense with a special focus on domestic abuse.
Call us at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Children Who Witness Domestic Abuse
Children who witness domestic abuse may have the following range of symptoms:
- Loss of appetite
- Sleep disturbance
- School problems – refuses to attend, truancy, poor performance
- Anxiety, fear of abandonment
- Increased violent behavior
- Verbal abusiveness, lying
- Regression – wanting bottle, baby talk, thumb sucking
- Perfectionism
- Shyness
- Tantrums
Spivak Law Firm handles all areas of family law, including: child custody, child support, divorce, Protection From Abuse (PFA) and Children Youth and Families (CYF).
To schedule a consultation, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Protecting Abuse Victims
Victims of domestic violence may obtain Protection from Abuse (PFA) Orders to curb the abuse and prohibit contact with the perpetrator.
But even obtaining a PFA may not provide adequate protection.
The Pennsylvania Legislature recently approved a resolution to examine PFA law and practice for potential insufficiencies.
The commission will work closely with professionals experienced with PFAs to identify and remedy flaws to more adequately protect victims of domestic abuse.
To speak with an experienced PFA attorney, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Harsh Sentences For PFA Violations
People accused of violating Protection From Abuse (PFA) orders face stiff penalties.
A PFA prohibits all contact between a defendant and the person alleging abuse. A Final PFA hearing is usually scheduled within 10 days after the Temporary PFA is issued.
If you are accused of violating a Temporary PFA Order, the case will likely be heard before a family-court judge.
But if you are accused of violating a Final PFA Order, the case will likely be heard before a criminal-court judge.
The official charge for violating a PFA is known as Indirect Criminal Contempt (ICC).
An ICC conviction carries a possible penalty of six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.
Spivak Law Firm routinely handles PFA and ICC hearings. To schedule a free consultation, call us at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Funding For Abuse Victims
In domestic-violence cases, research demonstrates that legal-aid services for women reduce the likelihood they will experience domestic violence in the future.
Unfortunately, President Trump’s proposed budget severely cuts departments that fund programs supporting domestic-violence victims. Additionally, the budget proposes to eliminate the Legal Services Corporation, which provides legal aid to domestic-abuse victims who are married to U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents.
Spivak Law Firm helps victims of domestic violence get the legal protections they need at Protection From Abuse (PFA) hearings and by working with prosecutors on criminal domestic-violence cases. To schedule a consultation, 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.
Spivak Law Firm Hires New Attorney
Spivak Law Firm is pleased to announce that Rebecca Canterbury has joined our family law and criminal defense practice as an attorney at law.
A Pittsburgh native, Attorney Canterbury earned a Juris Doctor degree from Duquesne University School of Law. During law school, she represented clients at Protection From Abuse (PFA) and child custody hearings while working for Neighborhood Legal Services Association and the Duquesne University School of Law Family Law Clinic.
Attorney Canterbury served as a law clerk for the Honorable Kevin G. Sasinoski of the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas – Criminal Division, as well as for several private law firms in Pittsburgh focusing on criminal defense and family law. She began as a law clerk at Spivak Law Firm before joining the firm as an attorney.
While serving as president of the Family Law Society at Duquesne University School of Law, Attorney Canterbury organized and moderated a symposium to address whether Pennsylvania’s Protection From Abuse (PFA) laws strike the right balance for protecting domestic-violence victims while also limiting false claims of abuse.
Earlier this year, Attorney Canterbury wrote an article published in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette entitled Impoverished Parents Deserve Their Day In Court on how filing fees in Allegheny County prevent low-income parents from asserting their child-custody rights. The article was reproduced in the fall 2016 edition of At Issue, published by the Pennsylvania Bar Association.
This month, Attorney Canterbury co-wrote an article with Attorney Spivak published in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette entitled Clean The Slate In Pennsylvania on the importance of making it easier to expunge criminal records and give people a fresh start in life.
Attorney Canterbury focuses her practice on PFAs, child custody, domestic-violence defense, and criminal record expungements.
Spivak Law Firm offers a free consultation on family law and criminal defense matters. To schedule an appointment, call us at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
PFAs and College Students
Pennsylvania colleges are increasingly cracking down on domestic violence, raising awareness of Protection from Abuse (PFA) restraining orders as tools to stop harassment and stalking, as well as physical and sexual violence.
College students served with PFA orders are at great risk of violating the PFA if they continue to attend college on the same campus as their accuser.
You may be arrested and charged with Indirect Criminal Contempt if the plaintiff merely accuses you of contacting, harassing, or stalking, even if a police officer does not witness the alleged violation.
A PFA alone is enough to disrupt educational and employment opportunities, but you could face even more hurdles when the PFA is coupled with criminal contempt charges that include a maximum sentence of six months in jail.
Spivak Law Firm provides strong, aggressive representation at PFA hearings in Pittsburgh and all surrounding counties, including: Allegheny County, Beaver County, Butler County, Fayette County, Indiana County, Washington County, and Westmoreland County.
We have effectively represented college students attending University of Pittsburgh, Penn State University, Carnegie Mellon University, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Carlow University, Slippery Rock University, and other schools in the Pittsburgh area.
To schedule a free consultation, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
In A PFA, What Is Third-Party Contact?
Victims of domestic violence, harassment, and stalking are often instructed to obtain a Protection From Abuse (PFA) Order that restricts contact between the parties. A PFA is also known as a restraining order or no-contact order.
In Allegheny County, a PFA Order typically states that the alleged abuser shall not contact the victim, including through third persons. What does that mean exactly?
Third-party contact refers to having a friend or family member contact the victim about the PFA. For instance, if you are a defendant in a PFA matter, you cannot have a mutual friend pressure the victim into withdrawing the PFA.
Indeed, you cannot communicate any message to the plaintiff whatsoever. Even a non-threatening message such as “I miss you” could get you arrested for violating the no-contact order.
Spivak Law Firm provides aggressive representation for defendants and victims at PFA hearings. To schedule a free consultation, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.