Stalking

If you are facing a stalking charge in New Hampshire, you need legal help.

Stalking has become a hot topic issue over the past decade and law enforcement officers in New Hampshire take these charges seriously.

If someone is accused of stalking, they could face jail time and fines.

So, it’s to your advantage to immediately seek the advice of criminal defense attorney Michael Anzalone if you have been accused of stalking.

Don’t wait. And don’t talk to authorities about your case before calling a lawyer. You may inadvertently say something that could harm your case. Again, never talk to law enforcement officers without your legal representative by your side.

In New Hampshire, stalking can be of the civil and criminal variety.

That simply means that anyone can seek a civil order of protection under the state’s stalking statute, which can be found at RSA 633:3-a. This kind of civil order is similar to a restraining order. But there is a difference. It typically isn’t between family members.

To obtain a stalking petition, a person merely needs to go to the local courthouse whether it is circuit or superior court and file a stalking petition. Sometimes, local police agencies can help with this. Once a temporary order is in place, the judge will order a final hearing, which is usually scheduled within 30 days. The person who is filing for the protection order also bears the burden of proof that he or she is being stalked.

If you are accused of stalking, your attorney will be with you during these proceedings. The judge will hear from both parties during the hearing, so you will have the opportunity with the help of your legal counsel to present your side of the case.

If a judge agrees that you have been stalking the victim, you will be ordered to stop and to not have any additional contact with that person. A typical stalking order in civil court lasts one year but can be extended.

In a criminal stalking case, the victim alleges that you engaged in a course of conduct that caused the victim to fear for his or her personal safety. This can extend to family members of the victim as well. And it can occur if the victim says you continued the stalking behavior after a court order was put in to place.

The penalty is a Class A misdemeanor and it is punishable by up to a year in jail and a fine of up to $2,000. The charges can be upped to a Class B felony if you have a previous conviction within the past seven years.

Again, these are serious charges and can have a negative impact on your life. You may lose relationships over this and the embarrassment could follow you for quite some time.

Obviously, your criminal defense lawyer will advise you to stop this behavior immediately.

Please fill out our online form for a free consultation with criminal defense lawyer Michael Anzalone at The Anzalone Law Firm. We will work hard to get the best possible outcome in your case.