WomensLaw is not just for women. We serve and support all survivors, no matter their sex or gender.
Legal Information: Pennsylvania
What can I do if the abuser violates the order?
You may want to call the police if the abuser violates a provision of your order. If the officer has probable cause to believe that the abuser violated the order, the abuser may be arrested.1 It is a crime to knowingly violate a court order, and the judge can punish someone for being in contempt of court. A contempt hearing will be scheduled within 10 days of the abuser being charged or the filing of a complaint.2
1 42 Pa.C.S. § 62A12(a)
2 42 Pa.C.S. § 62A12(e)
© 2008–2019 WomensLaw.org is a project of the National Network to End Domestic Violence, Inc. All rights reserved. This website is funded in part through a grant from the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. Neither the U.S. Department of Justice nor any of its components operate, control, are responsible for, or necessarily endorse, this website (including, without limitation, its content, technical infrastructure, and policies, and any services or tools provided). NNEDV is a 501©(3) non-profit organization; EIN 52-1973408.
English
Español
