Restraining Orders

In Pennsylvania, there are temporary and final protection from abuse (PFA) orders. In both kinds of orders, the judge can include different protections to help keep you and your children safe.

A PFA may:

1. order the abuser not to abuse, harass, stalk, threaten, or try to use or threaten to use physical force against you or your minor children;
2. order the abuser to:
   • temporarily give up (relinquish) their firearms, firearms license, and any weapons or ammunition they used or threatened to use;
   • turn these items over to law enforcement; and
   • not get new firearms while the order is in effect;
3. order the abuser to stay away from your home or where you’re staying, your workplace or school, and your children’s school;
4. order the abuser to have no contact with you, your children, or anyone else named in your order, except for court-ordered custody or visitation;
5. order the abuser not to harass or stalk anyone else named in your order;
6. order the abuser to leave a shared home and allow you to stay there or return—if the abuser has a duty to support you or your children, the judge can order this even if the abuser’s name is the only one on the lease or deed; 
7. if the abuser has a duty to support you or your children, the judge can order them to provide another suitable place for you and your children to live if you agree to move out;
8. order the abuser to return the children to you if the children were taken by force or fraud; 
9. if the abuser has a duty to support you or your children, the judge can order the abuser to pay you temporary child and spousal support, including medical bills, health insurance, rent, or mortgage payments;
10. order the abuser to pay you back for reasonable losses caused by the abuse, such as:
    • medical or dental care;
    • counseling;
    • moving expenses;
    • lost income; or
    • damage to or loss of property;
11. order the abuser to pay your lawyer’s fees and court costs;
12. award you temporary custody;
13. restrict the abuser’s contact with the children as needed to protect you and the children;
14. give you temporary ownership of a pet (companion animal);
15. order the abuser not to abuse, threaten, take, move, or try to get the pet;
16. order the abuser not to contact or try to contact anyone taking care of the pet, and not to go onto or try to go onto the property of anyone sheltering the pet;
17. grant any other appropriate protections (relief) you request.¹

Note: If the judge grants a final PFA after a trial, it must include protections 1-2 related to abuse and firearms.²

¹ 23 Pa.C.S. §§ 6107(b); 6108(a), (a.1)(2)
² 23 Pa.C.S. § 6108(a.1)(1)