Both Sides Of The Harassment Coin?

Answer 1

When you talk about criminal activity, one of the most common things that police have to deal with is harassment. This is a difficult area of law because it brings into question things like free speech. How much can you say to a person until you have crossed over the line? This is where harassment lawyers make their money. For those people who have been accused of harassment, attorneys are generally able to fight successful for their rights in front of the court. There are multiple degrees of harassment, as well, so it's important to understand that at the beginning.

Basic, second-degree harassment

Harassment can take many forms, but this one is most common. This is a misdemeanor charge and it usually happens when a person will not leave another person alone after repeated attempts by the victim to make it stop. Though most people think that harassment can only happen in person or over the phone, this is not really the case. In today's world, harassment can happen via email, over instant messenger, or even through some of the social networking sites. Police are getting better and better at tracking down people who use the internet to harass others.

When someone is accused of harassment, a harassment lawyer will usually look to establish that individual's right to free speech. The Constitution allows free speech to a certain extent, and the line is a blurry one. It's not often easy to know when you have crossed the line and violated another person's rights. This type of uncertainty is where attorneys make their money. Most of these cases are somewhat mundane in nature, since no physical damage has taken place. Because of that, a good harassment attorney can work with the state and the victim to make sure that the accused gets the best possible shake.

The rights of victims

There are some harassment attorneys that work for the rights of victims. Though the state will ultimately pursue the criminal charges against an accused person, a harassment lawyer will help the victim with the paperwork filing and will help that person understand her rights. There may also be civil ramifications for certain types of harassment, so these attorneys will help a victim that wants to sue damages. This is an entirely different side of the coin and requires a different skill set than a person who is defending an accused harasser.