New York Harassment and Disorderly
Conduct Laws
New York harassment and disorderly conduct is codified in NY Penal Law § 240. There are 5 harassment
statutes ranging from a violation to a class E felony, and one disorderly
conduct violation. The harassment and disorderly conduct statutes are:
Statute |
Level |
NY Penal Law § 240.20 Disorderly Conduct |
Violation |
NY
Penal L. § 240.26. Harassment in the second degree |
Violation |
NY
Penal L. § 240.25. Harassment in the first degree |
Class
B Misdemeanor |
NY
Penal L. § 240.30. Aggravated harassment in the second degree |
Class
A Misdemeanor |
NY
Penal L. § 240.31. Aggravated harassment in the first degree |
Class
E Felony |
NY
Penal L. § 240.32. Aggravated harassment of employee by inmate |
Class
E Felony |
Defending a New York State Disorderly
Conduct arrest
Disorderly conduct is codified in NY Penal Law § 240.20. There are only 7 distinct ways in New York to commit
a NY Disorderly conduct. It is a
crime of intention or recklessness, in that the state must prove that the
person intended to cause a public inconvenience,
annoyance or alarm. Or, through the action, the person recklessly created
a risk of a public inconvenience, annoyance or alarm. The prohibited conduct
is:
1 Engaging in fighting or in violent, tumultuous
or threatening behavior
2. Making unreasonable noise
3. Publically using abusive or obscene language, or
making an obscene gesture
4. Unlawfully disturb any lawful assembly or meeting
5. Obstructs vehicular or pedestrian traffic
6. Congregating in a public place and refusing to
comply with a lawful order to disperse
7. Creating a hazardous / physically offensive condition
which serves no legitimate purpose
Disorderly conduct is a violation, which means that is it
not a crime. While it is on the same level as a speeding ticket, it is nonetheless
more serious. This is because:
|
It is in the penal code, which means that it
shows up on a criminal history check
Even if not taken into custody, a disorderly
conduct charge is an arrest
Unlike a traffic ticket you cannot mail it
in with a guilty plea you must appear in court
Unlike a traffic ticket if you fail to appear
a warrant will be issued for your arrest
It can result in jail time, fine, community
service, or a combination.
Protective orders are issued against the defendant
in favor of the victim. |
Defense of your disorderly conduct charge
Many people make the mistake of going it alone when they are
charged with Disorderly Conduct, NY Penal L. § 240.20. Or they just ignore
it because they were only given a ticket to a local court or the NYC summons
court. They have no idea the consequences of pleading guilty as charged any
paying a fine. They have no idea that it will always show up on a background
check. They have no idea that the charge is penal in nature. They have no
idea that a warrant is issued for their arrest for failure to appear. They
have no idea that the court will likely issue a temporary protective / restraining
order which in many cases can result in enjoining you from going back into
your home during and after the case is resolved.
Just because you were charged with disorderly conduct does
not mean the state has a case against you. The state has the burden of proof
and there are many avenues open for defense. For example, we carefully review
the accusatory instruments to insure that there is a prima facie case
against you on paper – if not the court has no authority to hear the case
and, upon our motion to the case must be dismissed. We also fully prepare
the case for trial and seek alternate dispute resolutions such as adjudication
in contemplation of dismissal (ACD). We seek limitations on a protective order
to disrupt your life as little as possible. We make the appropriate applications
to the court in order to have your case sealed so that the arrest and any
potential conviction does not get into the public domain.
Elements of each harassment
degree
Harassment in the 2nd
Degree, PL § 240.26 – Violation
The elements of the violation of harassment in
the second degree, NY Penal L. § 240.26, are similar to that of disorderly
conduct but more succinct and narrow. In order for the state to prove harassment
second, they have to prove that, with the intent to harass, annoy or alarm
someone else, the defendant either:
1. Strikes, shoves, kicks physical contacts another,
or attempts or threatens to do so, or
2. Follows a person in or about a public place
or places (i.e. stalking), or
3. Engages in a course of conduct which alarm
or seriously annoy such other person.
Despite the fact that harassment second is a violation and
not a crime, it is still a serious charge. Even if handed a ticket it is still
a formal arrest; a conviction results in a criminal history and possibly jail
time; you must appear in court; a warrant can be issued for your arrest; protective
orders are usually issued when arrested for harassment 2nd degree.
Harassment in the 1st
Degree, PL § 240.25 – Class B Misdemeanor
Harassment in the first degree, NY Penal L. §
240.25 is purely a stalking statute. The state must prove that the defendant
“intentionally and repeatedly” harassed another person by “following the person
in or about a public place or places or by engaging in a course of conduct
or by repeatedly committing acts which places such person in reasonable fear
of physical injury.”
It is not enough for the state to prove that the
defendant followed someone once, and coupled with repeatedly following someone
the state must also prove that the person was in reasonable fear of physical
injury. In defense of such a charge our law firm focuses on the elements to
undermine the people’s case against our clients.
Aggravated harassment in the
2nd degree, PL § 240.30 – Class A Misdemeanor
Aggravated harassment in the 2nd degree
NY Penal L. § 240.30 prohibits phone and mail harassment as well as racial,
religious, age, gender, and sexual orientation harassment. A person is prohibited
from, with the intent to “harass, annoy, threaten or alarm another person”
communicates with a person telephone, telegraph, mail, or transmission / delivery
of written communication, or causes said communication through 3rd
party means, in such manner likely to cause annoyance or alarm. The statute
also prohibits phone calls with “no purpose of legitimate communication.”
The statute also prohibits assaults (strikes,
shoves, kicks, or other physical contact), or attempts or threatens to do
the same because of a belief or perception regarding such person's race, color,
national origin, ancestry, gender, religion, religious practice, age, disability
or sexual orientation, even if the belief or perception is incorrect.
Lastly, aggravated harassment second is also an
appropriate charge when the defendant has been convicted of aggravated harassment
in the first degree in the previous 10 years.
Aggravated harassment in the
1st degree, PL § 240.31 – Class E Felony
Aggravated harassment in the 1st degree
NY Penal L. § 240.31 prohibits religious and racial harassment. The district
attorney must prove that, with intent to harass, annoy, threaten or alarm
another person, due to the victims “race, color, national origin, ancestry,
gender, religion, religious practice, age, disability or sexual orientation,”
the person either (1) damages premises used for religious purposes, (2) vandalizes
property by affixing a swastika, (3) sets a fire on a cross in public view,
(4) place or display a noose on a 3rd person’s property without
their permission, or (5) has been convicted of Aggravated Harassment 2nd
degree within the previous 10 years specifically for assaulting a person due
to race, color, national origin, ancestry, gender, religion, religious practice,
age, disability or sexual orientation.
Aggravated harassment of an
employee by an inmate, PL § 240.32 – Class E Felony
Aggravated harassment of an employee by an inmate,
NY Penal L. § 240.32 was enacted to protect NY State Corrections officers
and all corrections employees against harassment from an inmate. The statute
prohibits what is commonly called “gassing,” which is throwing upon a correctional
officer an inmate’s bodily fluids and excretions, specifically blood, seminal
fluid, urine, and feces.
Defense of your Harassment charge
Just because you were charged with Harassment does not mean
there is a case. Many elementary avenues are open for defense. Especially
when you were given a ticket for the violation of harassment in the
second degree, NY Penal L. § 240.26, often times the paperwork is incorrect
or lacking to the point where the court does not have the authority to hear
the case. For misdemeanor grade charges, there must be a proper information
before the court. For a felony, a defendant is entitled to a felony hearing
before the matter can proceed. All of these are avenues for defense of your
harassment charge.
Our office fully prepares the case for trial and seeks alternate
dispute resolutions such as adjudication in contemplation of dismissal (ACD),
community service, and non-incarceration sentences. We seek to limit protective
orders to the greatest degree possible, and make the appropriate applications
to the court in order to have your case sealed so that the arrest and any
potential conviction does not get into the public domain.
A word about a harassment or disorderly conduct arrest warrant
You received a ticket or where arrested and released a while
ago for harassment or disorderly conduct a while ago and for whatever reason
never returned to court or just ignored it. Whether it was last week, last
month, last year or longer rest assured there is a warrant for your arrest.
The next time you encounter a cop you will be arrested, handcuffed, and taken
to jail. This could happen when you are pulled over with your family in the
car, when you call the police for help, and it can even come up in a private
background check. The police agency will hold you for the arresting agency
to pick you up, where you will be transferred to that agency, re-handcuffed,
and re-booked. You will either have to post a large bond or, if you cannot
post a bond wait until court is open so that you can be arraigned. All of
this will happen without the benefit of having counsel to protect your interests.
We routinely represent people for outstanding disorderly contact
and harassment warrants. Rather than go through the police department and
an arrest, we call the court, obtain the bond amount, and arrange for a peaceful
surrender to the court and NOT to the police, which avoids the drama of being
taken into custody and booked. Often times we pre-arrange a surrender and
plea to a reduced charge so all you have to make is 1 court appearance.