If you're facing domestic violence in Lackawanna County, you may not know where to turn. Someone who is supposed to love and care for you is committing a crime against you, but you deserve safety and security. If you're ready to take legal action or want to learn your legal options, the LLF Law Firm can help. When you meet with our Family Law Team, we will explain how we can support you during this difficult time. Let us help you get protection from your abuser today by calling 888-535-3686 or contacting us online.
What is Domestic Violence?
When we see domestic violence portrayed on television or in other media, what we see the most is physical violence. But domestic violence covers much more than physical assaults like hitting, punching, and kicking. The physical might be the most visible, but victims of domestic violence may have suffered in a different way, including:
- Sexual abuse
- Emotional or psychological abuse
- Financial abuse
- Cruelty to animals to intimidate or retaliate against their victim
Pennsylvania Protection from Abuse Act
Pennsylvania law, the Protection from Abuse Act, provides a definition of domestic abuse. In Pennsylvania, domestic violence inflicted upon is abuse occurs at the hands of someone you have the following relationship with:
- Family member
- Household member
- Spouse
- Intimate partner
If any of these people take the following actions against you, it constitutes domestic violence:
- Intentionally or recklessly causing bodily harm
- False imprisonment
- Making threats that make a person fear for their physical safety
- Sexual abuse
- Child abuse
- Repeated actions or patterns of behavior that instill fear of bodily harm
While state law focuses mostly on physical and sexual abuse, it doesn't mean you don't have legal options for protection from other types of domestic violence. During your consultation with the LLF Law Firm, our Family Law Team will discuss your legal options. Your LLF Law Firm attorney will work with you to devise a plan to get you to safety and remain protected from your abuser.
Protection from Abuse (PFA) Orders in Lackawanna County
It can be an incredibly difficult and scary decision to take legal action against your abuser, especially since they likely play a significant role in your life. Perhaps they are the breadwinner and have total financial control, or they could control your communications with those outside your home. You may wonder if a restraining order, known in Lackawanna County as a protection from abuse (PFA) order, is even possible. The answer is yes, and it may be the best option for your protection and well-being.
What Can a Protection from Abuse Order Do for Me?
Protection from abuse orders can do a few different things – they can do a lot more than just restrict physical distance between you and your abuser. When your LLF Law Firm attorney files for a PFA order on your behalf, they will make specific requests to the Lackawanna County judge based on what is appropriate in your case. In response to your request, your assigned Lackawanna County judge can include the following protections in your PFA order:
- Ordering an abuser to leave a shared home (even if they are the owner or on the lease)
- Ordering an abuser not to contact you or your minor children by any method, phone, social media, in person, etc.
- Awarding temporary custody rights for minor children
- Ordering the abuser to surrender firearms or weapons to Luzerne County law enforcement
- Ordering the abuse to pay costs associated with the domestic violence, such as medical costs, lost wages, relocation costs, attorney expenses, and more
How Do I File for a Protection from Abuse Order in Lackawanna County?
Remember, you never need to go through the process of obtaining a PFA order alone. Your LLF Law Firm attorney will be there to support you and interact with the court on your behalf every step of the way. When you have your first consultation with an attorney on our Family Law Team, we will walk you through the full process, but we will briefly discuss it now as well.
Your LLF Law Firm attorney will file a PFA order request form with the Lackawanna County Courthouse. You may fill out the form on your own or with the assistance of the Lackawanna County PFA Office if you prefer. In Lackawanna County, PFA order request forms must be completed in person at the courthouse. Your LLF Law Firm attorney will be physically with you to assist in filing for a Lackawanna County PFA order. You will meet your attorney to file the PFA order request at the Lackawanna County Court of Common Pleas at 200 N Washington Avenue in Scranton.
Domestic violence isn't restricted to 9 to 5 – emergency situations happen on nights, weekends, and holidays. While the Lackawanna County Court may be closed, you still have the option to file for an emergency PFA order outside of business hours. If you need to file a PFA order request outside business hours, you and your LLF Law Firm attorney can call the Domestic Violence Service Center at 1-800-424-5600.
I've Filed for a PFA Order - Now What?
When you file a PFA order request in Lackawanna County Courthouse during business hours, your case will often be heard the same day unless your filing is submitted towards the end of the business day. In emergency cases, a short-term PFA order will be granted for 24 hours only or until your PFA order request filing can be heard by a judge the following business day.
With your LLF Law Firm attorney representing you, you will go before a Lackawanna County judge for a first hearing. The first hearing is where the judge will decide if a temporary PFA is appropriate. Your abuser won't have an opportunity to defend themselves at this hearing; this is purely to ensure your immediate protection. You may also hear a temporary PFA order called an ex parte order. These orders generally last 10 days, giving the abuser time to hire their own attorney and prepare for the next hearing.
The next hearing is where the judge will decide whether a permanent PFA order is necessary and what provisions should be included. Your LLF Law Firm attorney will represent you the entire time. We know it is upsetting and even terrifying to face your abuser in court, but your LLF Law Firm attorney will be handling every aspect of your case.
Get Help from a Lackawanna County Domestic Violence Attorney Today
If you're a victim of domestic violence, you need a Lackawanna County domestic violence attorney from the LLF Law Firm fighting for you. Your safety is our top priority. To speak with our Family Law Team, call the LLF Law Firm today at 888-535-3686 or contact us using our online form.
