Protection from Abuse
In Pennsylvania, a “restraining order” is formally called a Protection from Abuse (PFA) order. However, unlike a standard restraining order, a PFA can have severe consequences that go far beyond simply preventing one person from going near another. A final Protection from Abuse order can do the following:
- Evict you from your home;
- Restrict your custody and visitation right;
- Making it difficult to keep your existing job or find a new job; Prevent you from owning or possessing firearms;
- Put you at risk of contempt charges, which carry up to 6-months in jail and a $1,000 fine.
Regardless of your circumstances, a PFA should never be accepted without a full hearing during which the Plaintiff is required to prove his/her case by a preponderance of the evidence. Our PFA attorneys are experienced with PFA actions and they are ready to aggressively defend your rights.