Westchester County Student Cyberbullying Defense Lawyer
Cyberbullying has become a more frequent news topic in recent months and years, particularly on school campuses. If you are accused of or charged with cyberbullying as a student, the best way to protect your interests may be to get in touch with a Westchester County student cyberbullying defense lawyer immediately.
With the goal of preventing you from being unfairly accused and having criminal charges impact your future, a seasoned student cybercrimes attorney could review your case and conduct any investigations necessary to turn up evidence that others might have missed. Following that, they could work to defend you in court at every step of your case, up to and including trial.
Types of Cyberbullying Crimes and Charges
Cyberbullying generally occurs when an individual or group of individuals uses the Internet, social media, or other electronic communications to harass or bully another. While cyberbullying may not result in a physical injury like traditional bullying, mental, or emotional distress or fear can still serve as grounds for criminal charges in certain cases.
New York Penal Law does not define cyberbullying as one specific crime, but there are a variety of criminal charges that may arise in cyberbullying cases, including menacing, reckless endangerment, and stalking. Each of these charges could have profound consequences, so any student facing one should call a Westchester County cyberbullying defense lawyer for a consultation.
Menacing
New York Penal Law §120.14 defines second-degree menacing as a course of conduct that, intentionally or inadvertently, makes another person reasonably fear physical injury. In cyberbullying cases, students may be accused of engaging in actions online that cause another person to fear for their physical safety, especially if said actions involve alleged threats of violence. Second-degree menacing is a Class A misdemeanor and carries a potential jail term of up to one year upon conviction.
Stalking
Under NYPL §120.45, fourth-degree stalking—the least severe degree of the crime—occurs when a person intentionally engages in conduct towards another person with knowledge that their conduct will cause a reasonable fear of harm or cause actual mental or emotional harm. For example, a student may be accused of stalking if their online communications with another person caused them significant mental trauma or fear of physical reprisal.
Cases involving stalking charges generally depend on the severity of the alleged harm and the type of conduct involved, especially when centered around behavior that could be considered cyberbullying. As such, any person accused of stalking may benefit from a conversation with a student cyberbullying defense attorney in Westchester County.
How a Westchester County Student Cyberbullying Defense Attorney Could Help
If you are a student dealing with cyberbullying charges, hiring strong legal representation may be essential to protecting your rights and ensuring you are not punished unfairly. For more information about what may be possible in your case, get in touch with a Westchester County student cyberbullying attorney today. Through a private consultation, you and your attorney could determine what your options are and how best to go about pursuing them.