Clarion County
Protection From Abuse Information
A person wishing to file a Petition for a Protection From Abuse (PFA) Petition may either contact a private attorney or Clarion County's SAFE office at (814) 226-8481. SAFE will assist a victim/survivor in preparing a petition for the temporary PFA. After the victim/survivor completes and signs the petition, s/he must present the petition to a Judge and ask the Judge to schedule a hearing on the PFA issues. The Judge will first hold a meeting to review the petition and talk with the victim/survivor. If the Judge finds the petition satisfactory, he will sign a Temporary PFA Order. The PFA law requires that a formal hearing be scheduled for a date that is no more than ten (10) days from the date that the victim/survivor files the petition.
A Temporary PFA protects the victim/survivor from the alleged abuser at least until a formal, or Final Hearing is held. At the Final Hearing, the accused abuser has an opportunity to appear and defend against the claims made in the victim/survivor's petition.
On the hearing date, parties with their attorneys first attempt to reach a consent agreement. Agreeing to a PFA is not an admission of guilt, but rather it allows the parties to set the terms of the order. If an agreement is reached, a consent order is prepared and signed by all parties as well as the Judge. If the defendant refuses to consent, then a hearing will be held before the Judge. If a PFA is entered following a contested hearing, the Defendant will be ordered to pay additional fees. If the Judge finds that the victim/survivor has proven their case by a preponderance of the evidence, he will issue a PFA Order. This is a much lower standard of proof than "beyond a reasonable doubt," which is required in a criminal case. A PFA may be granted for a maximum of three years.