Pittsburgh Domestic Violence Lawyer

What is Domestic Violence?

The term “domestic violence” covers a wide range of behavior and/or abuse. Legally, domestic violence is knowingly, intentionally, or recklessly causing bodily injury or fear of bodily injury or consciously engaging in repetitive conduct toward a specific person that makes them fear bodily injury.

Acts of domestic violence may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Assault
• Battery
• Rape
• Sexual abuse
• Sexual abuse of a minor
• Stalking

If you are the victim of or have been accused of these acts, you need experienced legal representation to ensure you are protected in court. Pittsburgh Divorce & Family Law, LLC has Pittsburgh domestic lawyers who understand the complexities involved in family dispute matters.

What Victims of Domestic Violence Should Know

Domestic violence is a pervasive problem. Roughly 1.3 million women are physically assaulted by a partner each year. A growing number of men are also victimized by domestic abusers, although these cases are often underreported.

Domestic violence hotlines across the country take in thousands of calls every day to provide victims with the resources they need to leave.

Victims Worry About Losing their Children

One factor that often keeps abuse victims from reaching out for help is the fear of losing their children. It’s true that family court is not always friendly to abuse victims.

If the judge believes that a victim exposed their children to an unsafe environment by staying in an abusive relationship, they may doubt the victim’s ability to parent. This puts an unfair burden on abuse victims, who often cannot leave for financial or safety reasons.

Victims Often Worry About Others Doubting Them

Furthermore, people seeking help for domestic violence often worry about others doubting their claims. Abusers can be very good at putting on a friendly face in public and reserving their anger and violence for their families.

When someone well-respected or well-liked in the community is accused of violence, it’s not uncommon for the victim’s word to be questioned. Again, this puts the victim in fear of losing their children.

How a Pittsburgh Domestic Violence Attorney Can Help Victims

The first step is to reach out to a Pittsburgh domestic violence attorney to help you through the family court system. They can help you file a PFA order. A protection from abuse order allows victims to protect themselves and their minor children from abuse, harassment, and unwanted contact.

From there, you can work with your Pittsburgh domestic violence lawyer to protect your role as a parent and create a plan for your family law case. They can help you fight for child custody and limit your contact with your abuser.

You must work with a Pittsburgh violence victim lawyer throughout this process. Doing so can prevent further victimization in the courtroom and give you space to heal from everything you have experienced.

How to File a PFA in Pittsburgh

A Protection from Abuse request may be filed at the Allegheny County Family and Juvenile Court facility, located at 440 Ross St., Pittsburgh, PA, in Room 3030. They are accepted between 8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. on weekdays. You should arrive as soon as possible to get it processed quickly. Your attorney can help you through this process.

How a Pittsburgh Domestic Violence Lawyer Can Help the Accused

Many people accused of domestic abuse do not realize how important it is to get a family law attorney right away. They may believe that truth is the absolute defense and that if they can tell their side of the story to the judge, they will not face any negative consequences.

However, innocent people lose child custody, and PFAs restrict them regularly. Without an attorney who has an in-depth knowledge of PA domestic violence laws, it is extremely easy to implicate yourself and weaken your legal position.

A Domestic Violence Conviction Could Affect Child Custody

Consider the ways that a domestic violence conviction could change your family court case. If the alleged victim can demonstrate that you are a danger to them or your children, you may lose custody altogether or be restricted to supervised visits. Our lawyers are experienced with child custody and can help you understand your options.

A Conviction Could Affect Your Entire Life

If domestic violence charges cause you to lose your job, you could not meet your support obligations and face further issues in family court. If you lose custody, the other parent may have grounds to move away with your children.