close

Pa. lawmakers OK protective orders in sex cases

1 min read

HARRISBURG (AP) – A bill headed to the desk of Gov. Tom Corbett would give victims of sexual violence the ability to ask a judge for a protective order against their alleged attackers.

The Senate voted unanimously for the bill Tuesday, a week after it passed the House unanimously.

The sponsor, Sen. Stewart Greenleaf of Montgomery County, says the bill was first introduced a decade ago. Under the bill, a victim of sexual assault can petition a judge to order the defendant to stay away from them. A similar process is available to victims of domestic violence.

The court would be required to hold a hearing within 10 days of the filing, and the victim would be required to prove, by a preponderance of evidence, that he or she requires protection.

CUSTOMER LOGIN

If you have an account and are registered for online access, sign in with your email address and password below.

NEW CUSTOMERS/UNREGISTERED ACCOUNTS

Never been a subscriber and want to subscribe, click the Subscribe button below.

Starting at $3.75/week.

Subscribe Today