Permanent Injunction For Protection In Allegheny
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FAQ
A Protection From Intimidation Order (PFI) is an Order entered by the Court which tells the adult offender to have no contact with his/her minor victim or face serious legal conse- quences. It offers a civil remedy to both fe- male and male victims.
Pennsylvania PFAs start as temporary and end in either a dismissal or final PFA order. First, the accuser will file an emergency or temporary PFA order against you, after which a hearing will be scheduled in less than 10 days. At this hearing, you may defend yourself against the order and bring evidence and witnesses.
In general, a PFA violation can be anything that goes against the court's PFA order. If you receive an emergency, temporary, or final PFA order against you, then you should promptly read the full order and comply with its every term. Any step beyond the terms of a PFA order is the order's violation.
While a PFA order, whether temporary or final, is not a criminal conviction and so not in a criminal history database, PFA orders can lead to criminal contempt convictions that would appear in a criminal history background check.
What happens at the PFA hearing? At the PFA hearing, the plaintiff and defendant will likely both have to testify. Third-party witnesses may also be present to testify. There may also be documents, such as medical records, text messages and emails, videos, voicemails and other evidence.
If the Plaintiff appears and Defendant does not arrive by 10 am a Final PFA Order will be entered by default against the Defendant. Regardless of what you believe you have agreed to with the Plaintiff, if you do not show up and he does, you will have a Final PFA entered against you.
At the hearing, you will be able to testify in court about the abuse and harassment you have experienced, present witnesses and other evidence to support your case. The abuser will be allowed to do the same.
The plaintiff must prove both the qualified domestic relationship and that an act of domestic violence occurred by a "preponderance of the evidence," which means that it is more likely than not or at least 51% more likely it's true than not true.
