Harassment

If you’re in a situation where you’re facing harassment charges, then it’s important to seek professional help right away. Our lawyers have the experience necessary to help you with your situation, but we also have education to give you useful legal advice. The current harassment laws can be confusing, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take them seriously. Avoiding them is only going to cause you more problems in the future, which could have a lasting effect on the rest of your life.

Understanding Harassment Charges

There are a lot of different types of harassment, including many that people aren’t aware of. Most people are surprised to learn that harassment doesn’t just mean sexual misconduct. If you don’t have the help of a lawyer, you could end up not understanding your rights. Obtaining an experienced harassment lawyer should be the first thing that you do in this type of situation.

Types of harassment charges include:

  • Stalking
  • Cyberbullying
  • Cyberstalking
  • Hate Crimes
  • Special Victims Harassment
  • Bullying

Defending against Harassment Charges

Defendants many times raise the following defenses when facing harassment charges:

Freedom of speech

In some cases, First Amendment free speech principals may come into play during a case. Although federal and state constitutions work to protect free speech, this freedom is not absolute. Whether a particular communication constitutes free speech or jumps the line into criminal conduct, often is determined by whether the communication was deemed to be for a legitimate purpose.

Unintended Consequences

A defendant may argue that the alleged communication had an unintended consequence. For instance, if an individual is playing offensive music in their vehicle, another person may drive up beside that vehicle at a stop light and be offended by the music. Although the passerby is offended by the music, the person playing the music did not commit the crime of harassment because the person in the other vehicle did not play the music with the intent to harass the other person.

Put Hinman, Howard & Kattell on Your Side

Our lawyers are able to represent our clients with the knowledge of New York law, and are well-educated and prepared for their defense. We represent clients all over greater Binghamton and Broome County and in the surrounding areas as well. We have a team of attorneys who have years of experience with assault and harassment cases, which means we can help you with your case right now.

Criminal Defense Overview

We realize that cost is a factor when choosing an attorney. Our clients understand that serious crimes require serious, skillful and diligent representation. Every case is different and we cannot quote you a retainer fee without first speaking to you and learning about your case and charges. We are happy to consult with you at the jail, if needed. While we do charge a small consultation fee for a jail visit, we apply that fee toward your retainer if you ultimately choose to retain us.