Question:
What is a protection from abuse order and what does it do?
Answer:
While I am not licensed to practice law in your state and cannot give you legal advice, I can give some general observations on this issue based on the jurisdiction where I practice.
Where I do practice in Pennsylvania, a domestic partner can petition for a protective order under the Protection from Abuse Act (or “PFA”) due to, among other things, domestic violence by the other partner or a reasonable fear of immediate physical injury.
With a PFA order, there are several remedies that may be ordered by the Court, including awarding possession of the martial residence to one party or awarding sole custody of the children to one party.
As such, PFA cases and PFA orders need to be treated very seriously due to their ability to substantially affect other cases you may have with a spouse, including the custody case and the divorce case. So while having a PFA case can, indeed, seem like a bad dream, it is something that should be addressed properly from its initiation so as to not have any adverse effect on the other related matters you see in Pennsylvania such as the divorce, custody, and support cases.
Remember, I am unable to provide you with anything more than divorce tips, so please consult a domestic litigation attorney in your jurisdiction to obtain specific advice as to the laws in Colorado and how they impact your potential case.
To arrange an initial consultation to discuss divorce rights for men with a Cordell & Cordell attorney, including Pennsylvania divorce lawyer William J. Phelan, IV, contact Cordell & Cordell.
