My daughter's biological dad and his girlfriend are harrassing us. She has been adopted by my husband and her biological father signed an agreement stating he would not bother any of us until after her eighteenth birthday, but he's not cooperating with that agreement. I called the police department to make a complaint against the daily onslaught of phone calls, e-mails, and instant messages from them. I have changed my number, email address, and IM name several times but they always come up with it somehow. The police department says that because they live in another state there is nothing that can be done about it- this doesn't sound right to me. Is it true?
2006-08-30 08:37:14 · 12 answers · asked by Jennifer F 6 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
Yes.
As for the electronic end....let me give a few ideas...
We recently had a stalker of sorts who kept calling all the time. I finally called all my friends and reletives and let them in on a nifty scheme. I downloaded a recording from AT&T...you know those old recordings "I'm sorry, the number you have dialed is not in service at this time..." along with those nifty beeps. (you can find them here: http://www.thisisarecording.com/sounds19.shtml )
So I put this recording on my answering machine and then screened all calls using the machine and Caller ID. (All my friends knew to listen through the entire tape and THEN leave a message. THey loved it!) In a week, the calls stopped.
As for IM's, and emails, don't change your email, block the sender using rules or spam definitions in your email program. As for IM's, they can also be blocked. Once you put these steps in place, ignore the guy. When you get an IM from someone you don't know, or an email from someone you don't know, don't read it. Click it to spam, or delete it and move on. You can only be harrased in this situation if you LET them. Don't hide, protect yourself.
If you contact the courts where the agreement was signed you can have the guy brought up on Contempt of Court charges. Now, as you already know, the charges can't be brought to another jurisdiction, but if he EVER comes to town, even AFTER the girl turns 18, then you can have him arrested. (Ask the court the statute of limitations on Contempt charges....)
Hope this helps.
2006-08-30 08:43:46 · answer #1 · answered by Marvinator 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Stalking and harrasment laws differ from state to state. Check the laws in your state (the local District Attorney's office should be able to help) and also look into the federal laws on the subject. SOmetimes the federal laws actually have more teeth and provide more protection than the local or state laws, and if there are such federal laws for this situation then the fact that he is doing this across state borders may make it worse for him.
Organizations that help local battered spouses / domestic partners will be very familiar with the laws that apply in such a case, as batterers are usually habitual stalkers/harrassers as well.
You can probably go before a judge and have a restraining order issued. You will need to have a signed copy of the agreement from the biological father.
Be prepared for a legal fight -- he IS the biological father, many courts may not recognise his agreement to relinquish his right to speak with or visit his own daughter.
2006-08-30 08:50:31 · answer #2 · answered by Mustela Frenata 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Try contacting the state that they are from, and see if there is anything they can do. There should be something since he signed an agreement. Things in writing always hold up in court, so you have that on your side!
2006-08-30 08:43:36 · answer #3 · answered by *~HoNeYBeE~* 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Consider filing for an order of protection in your local family court office. There are victim services agencies in your area that can assist you (free of charge) through the process. Document every phone call or harassing incident as evidence in court. As another poster stated, you should also contact the local police agency in his area.
2006-08-30 08:44:36 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Hi Jennifer!
Contact an Attorney and pay to have him send a letter advising the calls and contacts to stop or you will proceed with legal action. That should scare him...Do you have a restraining order???
Contact his job! contact the police wherre he lives. Get everyone involved. Good Luck!!!
2006-08-30 08:44:35 · answer #5 · answered by -------- 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i love those questions. I were in regulation enforcement for 5 years now, and that i in no way see law enforcement officials on the donut shops. i imagine that persons get their jollies off in the journey that they see purely one cop at one because of the stereotype. i in my view can not stand them, yet, once you're operating all nighttime, some aspects in ordinary words have a donut save open 24 hours, like the first position I worked. we may flow in for espresso and in no way donuts. My chief stated we may be in deep worry if we were stuck strolling out of the position with a donut because of the stereotype!!
2016-12-06 00:01:30 · answer #6 · answered by scelfo 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the police in your state cannot do anything about it, because they cannot cross state lines to persecute somebody. what i would do is get the phone number of the police dept where your husband lives, and then call them and see if there is anything they can do. even then, it might now work, but it is a first step.
2006-08-30 08:43:26 · answer #7 · answered by supremelorderik 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Sounds to me like you could get a restraining order. Try contacting a women's shelter for info if you can't afford a lawyer.
2006-08-30 08:43:20 · answer #8 · answered by smecky809042003 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Jennifer some of the time,we go too hard on other just let it go for a while
2006-08-30 14:48:50 · answer #9 · answered by boy_jam_arch 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yep try contacting the state the offense took place in
2006-08-30 08:41:32 · answer #10 · answered by foothill4fun 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋