Washington County PFA Lawyer
Served with a PFA?
If you’ve been served with a Protection from Abuse (PFA) order, you should begin preparing your defense immediately, as your PFA hearing will likely occur within just 10 days.
Spivak Law Firm provides strong, aggressive defense 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 work hard to protect your reputation, your job, and your child custody rights.
If you’re served with a PFA, we recommend taking the following actions:
- Call Spivak Law Firm for a free consultation.
- Avoid all contact with the plaintiff.
- Collect documentary evidence such as texts, emails, and photographs for your defense.
Served with a PFA? Call Spivak Law Firm today at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
PFA Orders Help Abuse Victims
Are you or your children victims of domestic abuse?
In Pennsylvania, a Protection From Abuse (PFA) Order offers many safeguards, including to:
- Evict the abuser from your household
- Restrict the abuser from you and the children
- Order the abuser to pay financial support
- Prohibit the abuser from contacting you
- Ban the abuser from possessing guns
Spivak Law Firm provides strong, aggressive representation for Plaintiffs and Defendants at PFA hearings in the following counties: Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Indiana, Washington, and Westmoreland.
For a free consultation, call us at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
No Guns For PFA Defendants
Should Pennsylvania adopt stricter gun laws in an attempt to reduce domestic violence?
Many states have recently done so. For instance, Maine last year passed a law prohibiting people convicted of domestic violence crimes from owning guns for five years after completing their court-ordered sentences.
In Pennsylvania, people with active Protection From Abuse (PFA) Orders against them are prohibited from possessing firearms. PFA defendants must either relinquish weapons to their local sheriff’s office or give them to a friend or family member for safekeeping.
Some activist groups want to further restrict PFA defendants by eliminating the state’s third-party safekeeping provision.
Spivak Law Firm handles all matters of family law and criminal defense with a focus on domestic violence. Call us at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Want a PFA? Just Ask.
In Allegheny County, judges approve nearly all requests for Temporary Protection From Abuse (PFA) Orders.
Indeed, more than 90 percent of requests for a Temporary PFA are granted in all counties surrounding Pittsburgh, including: Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Washington, and Westmoreland.
But recent reports show that a whopping 44 percent of PFA petitions were denied by judges in York County, located in South Central Pennsylvania. Public meetings have been scheduled in York County to address the disparities.
Spivak Law Firm provides strong, aggressive representation for plaintiffs and defendants at PFA hearings. For a free consultation, call (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
PFA Hearings and Constitutional Rights
A bogus PFA wreaks havoc on a person’s life: it evicts you from your home, restricts you from seeing your kids, and subjects you to possible arrest for the mere accusation of violating the no-contact order.
In Pennsylvania, a Final PFA Hearing generally occurs within 10 days after issuance of the Temporary PFA Order.
A Final PFA Hearing must occur shortly after the Temporary PFA Order gets issued because ex parte orders are limited by the Constitution. The due process clause of the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments provide that a person shall not be deprived of liberty or property without adequate notice and an opportunity to be heard.
Spivak Law Firm provides strong, aggressive representation at PFA hearings in Pittsburgh and all surrounding counties: Allegheny County, Beaver County, Butler County, Washington County, and Westmoreland County. For a free consultation, call us at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
“It’s All About Power And Control”
The following is the first of three excerpts from a recent column by Nancy Eshelman of the Patriot-News in Central Pennsylvania. Ms. Eshelman’s husband was convicted of voluntary manslaughter in a domestic violence related incident.
“In early 1979, my estranged husband climbed a trellis, peered into my windows and saw me watching TV with a male co-worker. He tore out of the parking lot in his Jeep, sped the few blocks to his home and grabbed his gun. He raced back to my apartment – where our children were sleeping – smashed a window, bounded up a flight of stairs and pointed a gun in my face.
Then he wheeled around, strode a few steps and shot my co-worker dead.
My ex got his jollies by belittling others: me, my kids, his mother, anyone he saw as weaker.
When I could no longer tolerate what his harassment was doing to me and my children, I prepared to leave. I did it the right way: I told him why, told him when, told him where, gave him access to his kids.
He stalked me. They didn’t use that term in 1979, but that’s what it was. Wherever I went, he’d pop up. He’d call me a dozen times a night. When he brought the kids home, he thought that entitled him to enter the apartment where the boys and I lived. When I objected, he shoved me down a flight of stairs.
Almost 35 years later, I’m still delivering the message that possession isn’t romantic, despite what we may see in movies. It isn’t pretty, and it certainly isn’t love. It’s all about power and control.”
Spivak Law Firm provides strong, compassionate representation in PFA and criminal domestic-violence cases. For a free consultation, call us at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
PFA Hearings And Child Custody
If you’ve been served with a Temporary Protection From Abuse (PFA) Order, it is likely that you’ve been evicted from your home and restricted from having any contact with your children. This can be devastating for a parent.
Under Pennsylvania law, the alleged “abuser” gets no opportunity to contest the accusations until the PFA Hearing some 10 days later. If you are a parent served with a PFA, we strong advise that you hire an attorney with experience in both criminal defense and child custody matters.
“Victims” of abuse get free attorneys to represent them at PFA Hearings in Pittsburgh and all surrounding counties — Allegheny County, Beaver County, Butler County, Washington County, and Westmoreland County.
If you go to PFA Court without an attorney – or with an attorney who does not routinely handle child custody matters – you risk losing custody of your kids for an even longer period of time.
It is commonly known that many “victims” of abuse exploit the PFA system in an attempt to gain leverage in a child-custody battle. Do not let this happen to you.
Spivak Law Firm provides strong, aggressive representation in all PFA and child custody matters. Call us 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.
Don’t Let a PFA Hurt Your Reputation
Getting served with a Protection From Abuse (PFA) Order can be upsetting, embarrassing, and downright scary. Police may come to your home or your place of employment. You may be evicted from your home and restricted from seeing your kids. Neighbors, friends, and work colleagues may suddenly perceive you negatively – as an “abuser” – even if the allegations are false.
The mere accusation of abuse can devastate a person’s life and reputation.
At Spivak Law Firm, we aggressively defend people facing allegations of domestic violence and child abuse. We know how the court system works and how to best navigate the system to protect your legal rights. In addition to preparing the strongest possible defense, we pride ourselves on being accessible to clients and treating you with dignity and compassion.
Don’t let a PFA destroy your reputation. Call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Spivak Law Firm In Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has again featured Attorney Todd Spivak, owner of Spivak Law Firm, as an authority in Protection From Abuse (PFA) and child custody law in Pennsylvania.
In Crack Down on Domestic Violence in Allegheny County, Attorney Spivak addresses the issue of Allegheny County registering more domestic-violence fatalities than any other Pennsylvania county. The article focuses specifically on the grisly death of Pittsburgh resident Maureen Karr that occurred over the holidays, and calls for increased judicial involvement at PFA hearings.
In Improve Pennsylvania’s Domestic-Abuse Law, Attorney Spivak proposes ways to fix Pennsylvania’s PFA law to limit false claims of abuse. His recommendations include criminally prosecuting filers of bogus PFA petitions and removing PFA records from the public database if the order is withdrawn or dismissed.
In Child Custody For Rapists?, Attorney Spivak exposes a loophole in Pennsylvania law that enables men who father children through rape to assert child custody and visitation rights. The Pennsylvania legislature may make it easier for a woman who has become pregnant as a result of rape to have her assaulter’s parental rights terminated while maintaining his duty to pay child support.
To speak with an experienced Pittsburgh-based family law and criminal defense attorney, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.