Tag Archives: PROTECTION FROM ABUSE PETITION

How can my wife drop a PFA against me?

Q: I have a 2-year PFA against me from my wife. She just emailed me a pretty sobbing story on how she was wrong. I refuse to reply or contact her by any means except by lawyer. Can it be any lawyer? Or how could I simply ask if she wants to speak. She really wants to drop the PFA. 90% of it was fabricated but I didn’t want any part of her, so I didn’t fight it. (Pittsburgh, PA)

A: Don’t trust her. The last client of mine that fell for this was dragged out his house in handcuff’s during a Penguins playoff game. Have your lawyer, or a lawyer, contact her lawyer or her, to see if she will sign off on a Motion to Vacate PFA.

Do final PFA hearings always end with the PFA remaining?

Q: My boyfriend recently put a PFA on me. We got in a fight about me not wanting him to go somewhere with me. He went anyway and was mad when I wasn’t there. He screamed and called me names. I tried to explain but he would hang up and changed his number and blocked my emails. The day before he got the PFA he invited me over and told me he loved me, and we had sex. What he wrote on the PFA paper was about events from our past and a long time ago. I really don’t want a PFA on me or my record. I’ve never been in trouble before. Do you think there is a chance it could be dismissed? I have no desire to ever speak to him again. (McKeesport, PA)

A: No, final PFA hearings do not always end in a PFA Order against the defendant. Sometimes the case can be worked out to a civil agreement, sometimes the plaintiff withdraws the PFA and sometimes the PFA is denied by the judge after hearing testimony. You will do better with an attorney. He may have one appointed for him because he is the “victim”. Based on what you say, a judge should not find in favor of him. If you cannot afford an attorney, do the hearing yourself and just tell the judge your side of the story.

EX HAD MY CAR TOWED, WHAT CAN I DO?

Q: My car was towed from my place of employment by someone for no reason. Police will not help me. I believe it is my ex-boyfriend but have no proof. My car was parked in a secured employee parking lot and the people at the place where I work. He let them tow my car without paperwork. He works there too. They laughed at me and told me I was stupid. I went to police and they told me that the car is not stolen as he was cosigner on the car. I need help here, everything I own was in that car including my military paperwork from the national guard. I am a single mom and all of my 2 year old son’s belongings were in the car too including his car seat. We had just moved everything from my mother’s house and I had not unpacked the car yet. I thought it would be safe as the parking lot has a security guard and is for employees only.

A: As boy friend and girl friend with mutual ownership of a car, you have no protection of the Divorce Code as you are not married. Obviously a criminal case is weakened by the fact that you both of you own the car. You can talk the police to see if they will file criminal charges like harassment. If not, you can go to the local District Justice on a day when the Assistant DA is there and see if they will accept a private criminal complaint. You can also ask the police if they will file a Protection from Abuse Petition for you. If not, you can go to the Family Division and see if you can file one on your own. You have a problem in that you don’t have good proof that it was him. You need to start building proof for going forward. Keep records and a log of these events to build your case in the future if charges or a PFA cannot be filed this time.

EX HAD MY CAR TOWED, WHAT CAN I DO?

Q: My car was towed from my place of employment by someone for no reason. Police will not help me. I believe it is my ex-boyfriend but have no proof. My car was parked in a secured employee parking lot and the people at the place where I work. He let them tow my car without paperwork. He works there too. They laughed at me and told me I was stupid. I went to police and they told me that the car is not stolen as he was cosigner on the car. I need help here, everything I own was in that car including my military paperwork from the national guard. I am a single mom and all of my 2 year old son’s belongings were in the car too including his car seat. We had just moved everything from my mother’s house and I had not unpacked the car yet. I thought it would be safe as the parking lot has a security guard and is for employees only.

A: As boy friend and girl friend with mutual ownership of a car, you have no protection of the Divorce Code as you are not married. You can talk the police to see if they will file criminal charges like harassment. If not, you can go to the local District Justice on a day when the Assistant DA is there and see if they will accept a private criminal complaint. You can also ask the police if they will file a Protection from Abuse Petition for you. If not, you can go to the Family Division and see if you can file one on your own. You have a problem in that you have not proof it was him. Some proof would help. Keep records and a log of these events to build your case in the future if charges or a PFA cannot be filed this time.