What is Criminal Harassment in Washington State?
In Washington, the most common type of criminal harassment is when a person, without lawful authority, knowingly causes or threatens to cause immediate bodily harm or physical damages to the property of someone else. In addition to the standard criminal harassment, harassment in Washington state also includes the threat of physical confinement or any other act that threatens the health and safety of another person. Merely contacting a person excessively is not considered criminal harassment. If you’ve been charged with the crime of harassment, contact a local criminal defense attorney at 888-541-2416 for a free consultation.
Consequences to Criminal Harassment in Washington State:
Harassment in Washington is a wobbler, meaning, it can either be filed as a felony or a misdemeanor. If your case has been filed as a felony, you are potentially facing a prison sentence. For misdemeanor harassment cases, you can face up to 364 days in jail. Felony Harassment versus Misdemeanor Harassment
There are two major reasons why a harassment charge might be filed as a felony.
1. The threats alleged included death threats.
2. The defendant was previously convicted of threatening the victim and/or the victim’s family. All other cases of harassment are considered misdemeanors.
How to Fight a Harassment Charge.
If you are being falsely accused of harassment, you’ll need an experienced harassment attorney to fight your case on your behalf. The first thing to do is to call 888-541-2416 to speak to an experienced harassment defense attorney in Washington State. The next priority is to hire an investigator to go and investigate any witnesses and evidence against you. After all the evidence and investigation are done, we will sit down and look at your case to determine the very best way to proceed in order to keep you out of jail and keep a felony off your record. Contact our offices at 888-541-2416 for a consultation. Every consultation is free and highly informative.