A Final Protection From Abuse order in Pennsylvania is as the name references, it's an order issued by the court to grant a plaintiff Protection From Abuse. The protection would be Protection From Abuse from the defendant, the perpetrator of the abuse. The term final means that this order was issued at a final hearing. To explain the PFA process briefly, a person were to seek a Temporary PFA, the court would grant a final hearing within 10 days for Pennsylvania law.
The term final hearing is a term used loosely, but at the hearing, whenever it may take place, if a court were to issue a Final Order, the Final PFA order can last for up to three years in Pennsylvania, can be for a lesser amount of time also. Prior to its expiration, the plaintiff can petition the court. There would have to be appropriate grounds for the court to do so but the court can extend the Final PFA or could go beyond the original expiration term.
The Final Order can be issued by the court after a hearing where the plaintiff meets his or her burden of proof by a preponderance of the evidence. The judge were to find that the defendant committed the abuse or can be granted by the defendant agreeing to the Final Order without admitting to the conduct. Having an experienced PFA attorney will help you best understand and navigate the PFA process and they should be involved from as early as possible in the case.
