Harassment in Olympia

Harassment can take on many different forms which can range from a gross misdemeanor all the way up to a class C felony. With a conviction, you are facing jail, fines, no-contact orders, and more! If you are being accused of harassment, contact an attorney as soon as possible to discuss your legal rights and begin preparing a defense.

The standard form of harassment is when a person unlawfully threatens to cause bodily injury, property damage, or to physically restrain another person. This threat can be made either by spoke words or simply by the person’s conduct. This type of harassment is a gross misdemeanor which comes with a maximum penalty of 364 days in jail and a $5,000 fine. This can rise to a class C felony if you have a prior conviction of harassment against the same person or their family, or you threatened to kill the person.

If you harass someone because of their perceived race, color, ancestry, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, or a physical, mental, or sensory handicap, then you could be charged with malicious harassment. This form of harassment is a class C felony which means the maximum penalty is 5 years in prison and a$10,000 fine.

If the harassment was done over the phone, then you can be charged with telephone harassment which is typically charged as a gross misdemeanor. Telephone harassment includes calls with the intent to harass, intimidate, torment, or embarrass the individual. For example, this can be done by using profane or lewd language, by calling at all hours of the night, or by calling repeatedly and incessantly.

If you are facing a harassment charge, give our office a call. We will be more than happy to discuss with you your current situation and answer your questions.