Have you been accused of stalking?

Chuck Smith Attorney at Law

Moving on from a failed relationship can be a trying time for anyone. If you are like others here in Redwood City, you may hold out hope that things can work out and get back to the way they were.

In your efforts to repair your relationship, the other party may not feel the same way. He or she may see your efforts as intrusive and unwanted. Perhaps you had no idea until police showed up at your door accusing you of stalking the other person. Now you wonder how that happened and need to know what stalking entails.

Have you exhibited any of the following?

When it comes to stalking, it’s all about your behavior and the other party’s reaction to it. In your stress, frustration and grief over the situation, have you exhibited any of the following behaviors?

  • Have you followed the other party?
  • Have you visited his or her place of employment or home without an invitation?
  • Have you made numerous phone calls that included any sort of threats?
  • Have you done anything else that could make your former partner fear you?

No one would condone threatening someone else or making them live in fear. However, you may not have intended for your behavior to reach this level. Even so, no matter your intentions, you now face criminal charges because the victim believes that something you did constitutes stalking.

Ordinarily, one instance of a behavior does not result in stalking, so the other party believes you engaged in a pattern of behavior that made him or her uncomfortable. The other party may even fear you. Even if you never intended for things to go this far, you still have to answer for the other party’s accusations.

Don’t take the situation lightly

You may believe that simply explaining yourself to the alleged victim could resolve the issue, but that would be a mistake. Your attempts to contact him or her are what created the situation. You may also want to refrain from trying to explaining your situation to police. Anything you say may end up used against you in court.

Instead, you may want to take steps to address your legal situation sooner rather than later. You need to gain an understanding of your rights and legal options for your defense. You could face significant penalties if convicted of this offense. An experienced attorney could help you ascertain the course of action that provides you with the best possible outcome.