Section 62A07 - Relief

42 PA Cons Stat § 62A07 (2019) (N/A)
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(a) Order or consent agreement.--The court may issue an order or approve a consent agreement to protect the plaintiff or another individual, as appropriate, from the defendant.

(b) General rule.--An order or a consent agreement may include:

(1) Prohibiting the defendant from having any contact with the victim, including, but not limited to, restraining the defendant from entering the victim's residence, place of employment, business or school. This may include prohibiting indirect contact through third parties and also prohibiting direct or indirect contact with other designated persons.

(2) Granting any other appropriate relief sought by the plaintiff.

(c) Duration and amendment of order or agreement.--A protection order or an approved consent agreement shall be for a fixed period of time not to exceed 36 months. The court may amend its order or agreement at any time upon subsequent petition filed by either party.

(d) Extension of protection orders.--

(1) An extension of an order may be granted:

(i) Where the court, after a duly filed petition, notice to the defendant and a hearing, in accordance with the procedures set forth in sections 62A05 (relating to commencement of proceedings) and 62A06 (relating to hearings), finds that the extension is necessary because the defendant engaged in one or more acts or finds some other circumstances that, in the discretion of the court, demonstrate a continued risk of harm to the victim.

(ii) When a contempt petition or charge has been filed with the court or, in a county of the first class, a hearing officer, but the hearing has not occurred before the expiration of the protection order, the order shall be extended, at a minimum, until the disposition of the contempt petition.

(2) Service of an extended order shall be made in accordance with section 62A05(d).

(3) There shall be no limitation on the number of extensions that may be granted.

(e) Notice.--Notice shall be given to the defendant stating that violations of the order will subject the defendant to arrest under section 62A12 (relating to arrest for violation of order) or contempt of court under section 62A14 (relating to contempt for violation of order).

(f) Incarceration.--When the defendant is or was incarcerated and will be released from custody in the next 90 days or has been released from custody within the past 90 days, a plaintiff does not need to show that the defendant engaged in one or more acts that indicate a continued risk of harm to the victim in order to obtain an extension or a subsequent protection order under this chapter.

(g) Identifying information.--Any order issued under this chapter shall, when furnished by either party, specify the Social Security number and date of birth of the defendant.

Cross References. Section 62A07 is referred to in sections 62A04, 62A09, 62A12, 62A17 of this title.