Protection from Abuse (PFA) In Delaware County – I Got Served, Now What?
If you need legal defense for a protection from abuse (PFA) in Delaware County, it is in your best interest to act quickly. When a PFA has been ordered against you, it is likely that the party that filed it has already begun to take other legal actions against you. Our skilled criminal defense attorneys have the experience necessary to fight against a PFA order in Pennsylvania, and will act quickly to provide the best possible defense. Call our PFA lawyers at 610-566-1006 now. Continue reading below to learn more about the next steps to take immediately after being served with a PFA order.
Protection From Abuse (PFAs) in Pennsylvania have serious implications, which require quick actions. First, the minute you are served with an Emergency PFA or a temporary PFA in Pennsylvania, the order is effective and you can be immediately arrested if you violate it. Every PFA has a protected party or parties. Once served, you are not allowed to have ANY direct or indirect contact with anyone on the Order who is listed as a protected party. This means no in-person contact, no phone calls or texts, no emails, no social media contact, and no contact through any third parties. Any violation of a PFA Order can be reported to local law enforcement. If reported, even if the contact is minimal or incidental, it is extremely likely that the police will act on the information and arrest you for the violation.
PFA Lawyers In Pennsylvania – Next Steps
PFA lawyers can be your best ally, whether the PFA is issued in Delaware County, Montgomery County or Chester County. If possible, you should retain an experienced PFA lawyer as soon as possible after being served with a PFA Order. The only initial hearing in a PFA is the one held without you when the person who filed against you went in front of a judge and convinced a judge to order the Emergency or Temporary PFA. Once you’re served, the next hearing, which normally takes place in a matter of days, will be the final trial to determine whether a Final PFA Order should be entered against you. If the filing party succeeds at trial, the final order against you can last for up to three (3) years and will be part of your permanent record.
PFA Arrest – What To Expect
If you are arrested for violating a PFA Order, be it Emergency, Temporary, or Permanent, you will be placed in handcuffs, processed at the police station (meaning fingerprints and photographs) and then you will be brought in front of a judge in person or on video for the judge to set your bail. If your bail is set at an amount that you cannot afford, you will be transferred to the County Prison and you will be held there, in custody, until such time as you are transported to the courthouse for your ICC Hearing. ICC means Indirect Criminal Contempt, and that is the official charge for violating a PFA.
At the ICC hearing the judge can sentence you to up to 6 months in prison for the violation. The judge can also sentence you to probation, house arrest, or any other legal punishment that the judge believes is appropriate.
How PFA Attorneys In Pennsylvania Can Help
It’s critical to fight a PFA because the PFA allows the person filing to have tremendous power over you. If they accuse you of the violation, you may well be arrested and put in jail even if they have little or no evidence of the violation. Having a PFA on your record can also keep you from ever legally purchasing or owning a firearm and can have many other negative collateral consequences in your life.
If a PFA has been filed against you, contact the Benari Law Firm right away. Our attorneys have decades of experience fighting PFA cases and you need that experience on your side. Call 610-566-1006.