California Stalking Defense Lawyers

What You Need to Know If you are accused of stalking

Under California Penal Code Section 646.9, the crime of stalking occurs when a person purposefully and repeatedly follows, harasses, and threatens another person with the intent to scare that person into fearing for his/her safety or the safety of immediate family members.

The continuous and ongoing nature of stalking can cause severe psychological trauma since it forces the victim to live in constant fear and vigilance. Although stalking has received media exposure due to cases involving high-profile celebrity personalities and their obsessed fans, most victims of stalking are ordinary people with private lives. In a majority of stalking cases, women are the targeted victims – mostly by ex-boyfriends or spouses. It is also common to see stalking in the workplace among co-workers or employers with disgruntled ex-employees.

If you are found guilty of stalking, the penalties can range from up to one year in county jail to five years in state prison. The sentence becomes more severe in situations where stalking occurs when the accused has prior domestic violence offenses or prior felony convictions. The judge also has the discretion to order that you register as a sex offender pursuant to Penal Code Section 290 if it appears that you stalked the victim for sexual gratification.

Stalking can take on a number of forms and the behaviors closely associated with stalking include following a person resulting in coincidental encounters; making frequent contact with a person via telephone, internet (Cyberstalking), or text messages; sending unwanted gifts; and a number of other behaviors that can lead a person to feel threatened.

If you find yourself facing stalking charges, it is very important that you seek the assistance of an experienced criminal defense lawyer who can protect your rights. At Wallin & Klarich, our attorneys have over 30 years of experience in helping our clients defend against stalking allegations by carefully reviewing the facts of the case and devising the best possible defense strategy in light of current laws. Call us today at 888-749-0034 or visit us online at www.wklaw.com. We will be there for you when you call.