Gross McGinley LLP

  • About
  • Attorneys
      • Safa Ashrafi
      • Kara M. Beck
      • Michael J. Blum
      • Robert M. Campbell
      • Thomas A. Capehart
      • Victor F. Cavacini
      • Sarah Hart Charette
      • Samuel E. Cohen
      • Adrian K. Cousens
      • J. Jackson Eaton, III
      • Malcolm J. Gross 
      • John F. "Jack" Gross
      • Kimberly G. Krupka
      • Anne K. Manley
      • Paul A. McGinley
      • R. Nicholas Nanovic
      • Constance K. Nelson
      • Kellie L. Rahl-Heffner
      • H. Ross Ramaley
      • Patrick J. Reilly
      • Thomas E. Reilly, Jr.
      • Nicholas Sandercock
      • Graig M. Schultz
      • Stuart T. Shmookler
      • Loren L. Speziale
      • Howard S. Stevens
      • Allen I. Tullar
      • Jason A. Ulrich
      • Jennifer L. Weed
      •  
      • View All Attorneys
      • View All Paralegals
  • Practice Areas
      • Business Law
      • Criminal Defense
      • Divorce and Family Law
      • Elder Law
      • Employment Law
      • Insurance Defense
      • Intellectual Property
      • Internet Law
      • Litigation
      • Medical Malpractice Defense
      • Real Estate
      • Tax Law
      • Wills, Trusts, & Estates
      •  
  • Industries
      • Banking
      • Health Care
      • Media and Publishing
      • Municipal
      • Non-Profit
      •  
  • News
      • Gross McGinley Law Firm Donates $13,000 to Greater Lehigh Valley Nonprofits
        Dec 18th, 2020| Firm News
      • Gross McGinley Promotes Sarah Hart Charette and Kellie Rahl-Heffner to Partner Attorneys
        Dec 18th, 2020| Attorney News
      • Gross McGinley Launches Giving Back Tuesday 2020 Program
        Nov 19th, 2020| Firm News
  • Blog
      • Can Employers Require the COVID-19 Vaccination?
        Jan 18th, 2021
      • Can I Get Pulled Over for Violating Coronavirus Travel Restrictions?
        Jan 8th, 2021
      • More Business Restrictions in PA Adversely Impact Small Businesses
        Dec 11th, 2020
  • Careers
  • 610.820.5450
  • Contact Us
  • Make a Payment

Following CDC and state guidance, we are offering in-person and remote legal services to our clients. Please call us at 610.820.5450 for assistance with your legal needs or visit our COVID-19 page for insights on pandemic-related matters.

gross-headerimg-2
Gross McGinley LLP > Blog > How to Apply for a PFA During a Coronavirus Stay at Home…
Blog Disclaimer

Blog Disclaimer

This Blog is intended for educational and informational purposes and intended to only provide you with a general understanding of the law, not to provide any legal advice, including on the subject of the Blog. Laws that may pertain to this Blog will vary by jurisdiction, and the information on this blog may not apply to you. The content within this Blog is not intended, and should not be construed, in any way to be legal advice and thus you should not rely on any information provided in the Blog as legal advice. You should consult with appropriate legal counsel concerning any issues for which legal advice may be needed. Your review or use of the Blog and the content therein is not intended to create, and does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship. Please contact us if you have any questions about a Blog or would like more information, but, by contacting us, no attorney-client relationship is formed between you and Gross McGinley, LLP, including the Blog author. Do not send any confidential information to Gross McGinley, LLP or the authors of the Blog without first speaking to one of our lawyers and receiving our permission to provide confidential information. Unsolicited confidential information sent to us may not be subject to an attorney-client privilege and may not be treated as confidential. This Blog is not published for advertising or solicitation purposes. Gross McGinley, LLP disclaims all liability to all persons for any claim, loss, liability or any damages that may arise in connection with the Blog and any content or information contained in the Blog. Even though we strive to create our Blog content based on our current understanding of the law, we cannot and do not guarantee that the content and information in the Blog is current, accurate, or complete. Gross McGinley, LLP owns the copyright in the Blog, which is protected by federal and state laws, including copyright laws. The Blog cannot be altered or modified in any way. A copy of the Blog may be used and printed only for personal, educational, informational and noncommercial purposes. The Blog cannot be used for any other purpose without the express permission of Gross McGinley, LLP.

How to Apply for a PFA During a Coronavirus Stay at Home Order

Written by: Constance K. Nelson on April 01, 2020 | Category: Blog | Tags: COVID-19, Family Law

    Share

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google Plus
  • LinkedIn

As the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic rages on, perhaps your stay at home experience isn’t going well. If you are living with someone who, when faced with a stressful event, is lashing out at you with physical, verbal and/or emotional violence, what do you do? You are encouraged to apply for a Protection from Abuse (PFA) Order. Here is how to apply for a PFA during the coronavirus stay at home order.

What is abuse?

You may be asking yourself, what exactly is a PFA and do I qualify? Simply put, it is a court order directing the defendant, your loved one, to refrain from abusing you. In Pennsylvania, abuse is defined as the occurrence of one or more of the following acts between family or household members, sexual or intimate partners or persons who share biological parenthood:

(1) Attempting to cause or intentionally, knowingly or recklessly causing bodily injury, serious bodily injury, rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, sexual assault, statutory sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault, indecent assault or incest with or without a deadly weapon.

(2) Placing another in reasonable fear of imminent serious bodily injury.

(3) The infliction of false imprisonment pursuant to 18 Pa.C.S. § 2903 (relating to false imprisonment).

(4) Physically or sexually abusing minor children, including such terms as defined in Chapter 63 (relating to child protective services).

(5) Knowingly engaging in a course of conduct or repeatedly committing acts toward another person, including following the person, without proper authority, under circumstances which place the person in reasonable fear of bodily injury. The definition of this paragraph applies only to proceedings commenced under this title and is inapplicable to any criminal prosecutions commenced under Title 18 (relating to crimes and offenses). 23 Pa.C.S. § 6102

How to apply for a PFA

There are coronavirus stay at home orders in effect throughout the Lehigh Valley. But, must you remain in that unsafe environment and continue to be the subject of your loved one’s torment and abuse? ABSOLUTELY NOT!

While local courthouses are closed to the public to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus, Protection From Abuse (PFA) offices remain open. If you believe your situation constitutes abuse, call your local courthouse (click here for Lehigh County, here for Northampton County) to confirm their procedure for applying for a PFA . You will be provided with instructions of when you will be able to see a judge to tell him/her of the facts surrounding your reason for the PFA application.

Upon hearing your presentation of your case, a judge may provide you with a temporary PFA. A temporary PFA can be granted immediately, without your alleged abuser present, and lasts until a final PFA hearing takes place.

You will also receive a court date for the final PFA hearing, at which time the defendant will be present to either share his/her version of the alleged events or he/she may remain silent upon the advice of counsel. Nonetheless, upon conclusion of the hearing, the judge will determine if a final PFA shall issue and how long it will last (Note: the longest allowable period of time for a PFA is 36 months.).

The right to feel safe

If at the expiration of the PFA, you continue to feel unsafe, you may ask the court for a further extension of the Order; however, you must provide current proof as to why an extension is warranted.

Just as the coronavirus crosses all demographics, no matter the race, religion or financial status, so does domestic violence. With so much going on in the world to cause you angst and despair, living in a constant threat of danger can be one fear that you can strike from your list by seeking relief from the court via a PFA.

Stay in place and get your abuser out!


A former prosecutor, Constance K. Nelson counsels families and individuals facing domestic matters including custody, divorce, adoption, alimony and more.

News/Blog Archives

  • 2021
    • January 2021 (2)
  • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011 • 2010 • 2009 • 2008 2007 • 2006 • 2005 • 2004 • 2003 • 2000

Popular Tags

  • Community Involvement (221)
  • Litigation (127)
  • Employment Law (104)
  • Estate Planning & Administration (77)
  • Business Law (74)
  • COVID-19 (57)
  • Intellectual Property (51)
Tax Law

Spotlight: Tax Law

Gross McGinley’s Tax Law Group provides counsel to the firm’s clients through various federal, state and local taxation matters. We work closely with our clients to review their tax planning objectives and … Read More

Sign up for Legal Updates

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
  • Meet the Attorneys
  • Practice Areas
  • News & Blog
Next Previous
  • Thomas E. Reilly, Jr. view profile

  • Allen I. Tullar view profile

  • Kellie L. Rahl-Heffner view profile

11 View All Attorneys
  • Insurance Defense

    Insurance Defense

    more info
  • Elder Law

    Elder Law

    more info
  • Tax Law

    Tax Law

    more info
5 View All Practice Areas
  • Can Employers Require the COVID-19 Vaccination?

    Can Employers Require the COVID-19 Vaccinatio…

    continue reading
  • Can I Get Pulled Over for Violating Coronavirus Travel Restrictions?

    Can I Get Pulled Over for Violating Coronavir…

    continue reading
  • Gross McGinley Law Firm Donates $13,000 to Greater Lehigh Valley Nonprofits

    Gross McGinley Law Firm Donates $13,000 to Gr…

    continue reading
336 View Blog
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
Super Lawyers Million Dollar Advocates NBLSC Board Certified Lawyers
Our Locations: Allentown • Easton • Lehighton
  • Allentown 33 S. Seventh Street, P.O. Box 4060
    Allentown, PA 18105-4060
    Telephone: (610) 820-5450
    Fax: (610) 820-6006
  • Easton 101 Larry Holmes Drive, Suite 202
    Easton, PA 18042
    Telephone: (610) 258-1506
    Fax: (610) 820-6006
  • Lehighton 415 Mahoning St.
    Suite A
    Lehighton, PA 18235
    Telephone: (610) 820-5450
    Fax: (610) 820-6006

Copyright © 2021 Gross McGinley LLP. All rights reserved. | Privacy Policy and Terms of Use Secure File Portal