I try to be upbeat in my blog posts; usually offering the reader information in a pleasant and unassuming way, maybe offering something from a different perspective. This post, however, is different from that. The deaths of the three Northern York County Regional Police Department officers and the wounding of two others on September 25, 2025, hit too close to home for two reasons. The first is that in practicing family law, domestic violence is always an issue, whether overt, below the surface, or just rising to the level of a concern. In every initial interview with a client, I bring up personal safety. I tell clients, both male and female, that if they feel the slightest bit threatened, to either leave the situation or call 911.
The second reason is that my daughter attended college in north central Maryland. To get to and from our house to her college, we drove through Codorus and North Codorus Townships, Pennsylvania. It is an absolutely beautiful area. My heart goes out to the families of the fallen officers. They did not know what they were walking into. Also, from what I have read, the shooter was lying in wait in the house of a former girlfriend. That is exactly my point.
We as lawyers need to be aware that the potential for violence exists in every domestic litigation case. Sadly, because of emotions, it’s just part of the territory.
My thoughts go not only to my fellow practitioners, but also the people we represent. Be cautious and aware of the former partner who seems to be spiraling in the wrong direction and don’t be afraid to contact law enforcement. We are lawyers, we can get people pieces of paper. Paper will not stop bullets. The small grain of positivity in the York County shooting, if there is one, is that a young woman and her mother heeded law enforcement’s advice and stayed away from the house. Unfortunately, five brave men took the bullets for them.
In my years of practice, I have seen individuals not take the potential for violence as seriously as they should. One was a client who knew the father of her child had mental health issues and was a problem. I’m sure she never thought that he was capable of showing up at a custody exchange at a convenience store with an AR15, but he did.
While that is the most extreme situation, I have had clients who, at least initially, second guess the decision to get a protection from abuse (PFA) order. While the perpetrator of the violence may be the child’s other parent, they are probably masters of manipulation and working on the custodial parent’s heart strings. “If you cared about our child…” Even when this parent “coincidentally” shows up at a favorite weekend get-away destination or a certain children’s clothing store when the custodial parent and the children just happen to be there, in violation of the PFA Order, certain clients are still reluctant to take the next step and enforce the PFA Order.
My point is that if you have decided to involve a lawyer or obtain a protection form abuse order, you have decided to break with the other side. There is no place for sympathy or having a soft spot, particularly if the other side is impulsive, potentially violent, or manipulative. If the situation has escalated to the point where you decided court intervention is necessary, take advantage of the protections that come along with the PFA. If the perpetrator of the domestic violence is harassing you, either physically or electronically stalking you, or continues to be abusive, call your local police. There is something called indirect criminal contempt (“ICC”). If a police officer views the perpetrator’s conduct as a violation of the language of the PFA Order, the officer can arrest that person. ICC is a crime.
Unfortunately, our world has gotten more violent, and firearms have become more prevalent. A person who has “boundary issues” today, could be tomorrow’s shooter. Use your common sense and take advantage of the resources that are out there. Be safe.
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