By Judy Hale Reed, Esq., Associate Attorney, of Gusty Sunseri & Associates, P.C.
A Protection from Abuse Order, or PFA, is a court order against a family member, relative, parent of your child, or sexual or romantic partner to protect you from violence by that person. In Pennsylvania, you can request a PFA in the county where you live, where the person you want the PFA against lives, or the county where the violence occurred.
There are two ways to initially obtain a PFA if you believe you are in immediate danger. You can obtain an Emergency PFA by calling the police or 9-1-1 and requesting the address of the local magistrate for after-hours assistance. This PFA lasts 24 hours and you will have to go to court to be heard to request a longer PFA. You can also obtain an Ex Parte Temporary PFA by going to the county courthouse to request it. In Allegheny County, you can request an Ex Parte Temporary PFA at the Family Courthouse.
If you are interested in learning more about filing for a Protection from Abuse Order, or defending against one, please contact our Pittsburgh law office to speak with an experienced Pennsylvania Family Law attorney.
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