Articles Posted in Domestic Violence

Although it has always been illegal in New York to intentionally cause physical injury to another person (see Assault, Chapter 120.00 of the Penal Law), a relatively new set of laws has increased the penalties for the strangulation of another person. New York Penal Law Section 121.11 (Criminal Obstruction of Breathing or Blood Circulation) makes…

The arrest of a friend or loved one often happens unexpectedly. The majority of New Yorkers do not have any experience with the criminal justice system and are often thrust into a position of having to deal with the possibility of bail being set. This post will explain a few factors that go into a…

Before you send that threatening email or text message, or scream in anger at someone over the phone, you should take a deep breath and stop to consider whether you might actually be committing a crime by doing so. In New York state, Aggravated Harassment in the Second Degree (Penal Law 240.30) is a Class…

Many juveniles in New York City are arrested every week and given a family court summons for a crime that would otherwise subject him or her to a permanent criminal record. A juvenile is “defined” in the Penal Law as a person under the age of sixteen years old. To be more precise, it is…

Q: In what cases do criminal courts issue orders of protection? A: Criminal Procedure Law Sections 530.12 and 530.13 authorize criminal courts to issue orders of protection when a criminal action is pending involving a complaint charging any crime or violation between family members, or for “good cause,” or upon a conviction in a case…