Family Court - PFA

Protection From Abuse Cases in which a plaintiff has petitioned the court of common pleas requesting relief from abuse by the defendant. Abuse occurs between family or household members, intimate partners, or persons who share biological parenthood (See 23 Pa. C.S. § 6102 for a more extensive definition of “abuse”). Cases Filed refer to the number of petitions filed with the prothonotary during the year, regardless of the number of protected persons listed on the petition. Not included are indirect criminal contempt actions or ancillary petitions such as petitions to modify, extend or terminate an existing order. Cases Disposed are counted when a final order is entered by the court or the petition is dismissed, denied, withdrawn, or otherwise terminated.

Disposition categories for Protection From Abuse cases are:

1. Final Order After Hearing - a disposition category for cases which were disposed after a final hearing;

2. Final Order by Stipulation or Agreement - a disposition category for cases which were resolved by stipulation or consent agreement, whether or not a hearing had begun before the court;

3. Dismissed/Withdrawn - a disposition category for cases which have been dismissed, denied, or terminated by the court or withdrawn by the parties. Also included are requests for temporary orders that have been denied and a final hearing has not been granted; and

4. Other- a residual disposition category which includes cases transferred to another jurisdiction, or deceased plaintiff or defendant.

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