Legal Definition Of Harassment In Texas
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Legal definition of harassment in texas. Either harris meant or huh rass meant n. Harassment is governed by state laws which vary by state but is generally defined as a course of conduct which annoys threatens intimidates alarms or puts a person in fear of their safety. To charge you with harassment or stalking the police have to show that you were the person making the calls or. 42 01 disorderly conduct 42 02 riot 42 03 obstructing highway or other passageway 42 04 defense when conduct consists of speech or other expression 42 05 disrupting meeting or procession 42 06 false alarm or report 42 07 harassment 42 08 abuse of corpse 42 09 cruelty to livestock animals 42 10 dog fighting 42 11 destruction of flag 42 12 discharge of firearm in certain municipalities 42 13.
Texas state laws serve many purposes. In cases where harassing behavior focuses on something that is not protected the individual being harassed would still have a claim in a civil court room. Unwelcome sexual gestures may constitute sexual harassment and the complainant must bring these gestures to the attention of his her employer immediately. The specific quality that makes harassment a state or federal legal matter is a question of whether or not the targeted quality such as omar s race and religion is a protected class.
Harassment is unwanted unwelcomed and uninvited behavior that demeans threatens or offends the victim and. Harassment laws are a great example of this. The law on harassment in texas. Criminal charges and penalties in texas.
The act of systematic and or continued unwanted and annoying actions of one party or a group including threats and demands. Harassment law and legal definition. Harassment is a misdemeanor offense in which one person is accused of purposely annoying another person usually by phone or e mail. Read this complete texas penal code 42 07.
The purposes may vary including racial prejudice personal malice an attempt to force someone to quit a job or grant sexual favors apply illegal pressure to. One of the most important purposes of these laws is to maintain peace and public order some laws ensure this goal by criminalizing dangerous or violent actions however some laws maintain public order by criminalizing undesirable or threatening behavior. Order against harassment 2 if the complainant or a person referred to in subsection 3 is not represented by a legal representative the clerk of the court must inform the complainant or person. Harassment includes sexual harassment in the workplace.
The state of texas defers to a fact sheet created by the university of texas houston for its definition of harassment. As per this sheet harassment constitutes any act or treatment leading to physical or emotional adversity on the basis of gender color religion ethnicity sexual orientation age disability or any similar status.