Legal Question in Criminal Law in Alabama

What constitutes harassment?

My brother-in-law, who has a history of DUI offenses and drunken, sporadic calls to our residence, usually once or twice a year, called our home four times on May 26, between 8:00 and 8:30 PM. He was obviously intoxicated and was verbally abusive to my wife. In addition, he denigrated my 17 year old son, saying that, ''he probably didn't even know where he was,'' referring to my son, who is a special education student at our local high school. I was outside running, and not aware of the calls until I had returned. I've opted to overlook incidents like this in the past, but I'm now considering a legal solution to the problem. Is this considered harassment, and, if it is, what are my legal options? Thanks.


Asked on 5/26/04, 11:17 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Walter Blocker Walter l. Blocker, III P.C.

Re: What constitutes harassment?

what you describe could be determined to be harassing communications under the alabama criminal code if it is determined that the communication by phone was done in a manner likely to harass or cause alarm or that the call was made for no purpose of legitimate communication. you need to take your facts to your local magistrate (state or municipality) and let that person determine whether or not the facts amount to the offense of harassing communication.

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Answered on 5/29/04, 9:07 am


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