Restraining Orders

Domestic Violence Lawyer Serving Bucks County Defendants

John M. Kenney has been protecting the rights of defendants in the Levittown area and elsewhere in Pennsylvania for more than three decades. As an experienced criminal defense lawyer, he assists people charged with a wide range of offenses. For example, Mr. Kenney helps people who are facing a possible restraining order seek to resolve their cases efficiently and on workable terms. Contact Bucks County domestic violence attorney John M. Kenney if you are looking for vigorous advocacy and a “straight talk” approach that provides honest guidance on your options.

Protecting Your Rights against a Restraining Order

A restraining order commonly referred in Pennsylvania as a Protection from Abuse “PFA” Order or is a legal tool that is often used in cases of alleged domestic violence. As its name suggests, the order requires a person to stay away from another person or location and to refrain from physical contact or communication with that person at all times for a specified duration. In some cases, the order could force a person to leave a family home, lose temporary custody of his or her children, or get rid of any firearms. The orders are issued in emergency, temporary, and final forms, and they can last for up to three years. If you are hit with a restraining order and fail to comply with it, you are likely to pay for violating the terms through fines, jail time, and other penalties.

Pennsylvania’s Protection from Abuse Act lays out a number of factors that judges are supposed to consider in deciding whether to grant a request for a restraining order. Generally, the person seeking the order must show that you injured or attempted to injure the person, or that the person otherwise fears that you will seriously injure the person. Restraining orders are also available in cases of stalking and child abuse. The burden in these cases is on the person seeking the order to prove that it is warranted under the circumstances.

Restraining order cases often come down to the facts of the particular situation, which can turn into a battle of one person’s word against the other person’s word. For example, it can be difficult to determine whether the person seeking the order reasonably fears harm from the person against whom the order is sought. Thus, it is imperative to have an experienced criminal defense lawyer in your corner in these cases.

Discuss a Domestic Violence Matter with a Bucks County Attorney

John M. Kenney has been assisting people with fighting restraining orders since 1983. He understands how to craft a persuasive defense for the individuals whom he represents. Mr. Kenney takes pride in providing client-focused legal representation, taking the time to understand each person’s unique situation in order to chart a course of action that is tailored to their needs and goals.

If you or a loved one is facing a restraining order, contact Bucks County domestic violence lawyer John M. Kenney at (215) 547-3031 or through our online form to set up a free consultation. He can represent defendants in many Pennsylvania communities, including Levittown, Langhorne, Yardley, Bristol, Morrisville, and Fairless Hills.