News

Pennsylvania protection from abuse data

News Article

October 13, 2017

Statewide and county-by-county protection from abuse (PFA) data from Pennsylvania courts is available via an interactive dashboard on the Pennsylvania judiciary’s website, with highlights in the infographic below. For example, 49 percent of processed PFA petitions are terminated by plaintiffs who either withdraw the complaint (20 percent) or don’t appear in court (29 percent).

A PFA is a special type of restraining order available only to victims of domestic violence. It is a court order providing relief from abuse by a family or household member, intimate partner or biological parent. Temporary PFAs last until a court hearing is held (usually within 10 days). PFAs are valid up to three years and may be extended.

A high-resolution file of the graphic is available for download at www.pacourts.us under Media Resources.

Media contact: Kimberly Bathgate, 717-231-3331

Editor’s Note: View county-by-county protection from abuse (PFA) data via the PFA interactive dashboards on our website.

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