October 07, 2011

• Steven Topazio wrote this April 27, 2014 at 1:15 pm

The Client, a 29 year old graduate student, received a notice for a hearing on a complaint for issuance of an Harassment Prevention Order, hired Attorney Topazio. In order to establish grounds to issue an Harassment Order, a party must prove that 3 or more acts of willful and malicious conduct aimed at a specific person committed with the intent to cause fear, intimidation, abuse or damage to property and that does in fact cause fear, intimidation, abuse or damage to property. The client and the petitioner lived in different apartments of a three family building. When a dispute arose between the two of them regarding the client alleging the petitioner stole property from the client, their relationship quickly deteriorated. The client went to the petitioner’s place of employment on two occasions in an attempt to confront the petitioner. On a third occasion, the petitioner claimed the Client followed him in his vehicle so as to harass him. In an attempt to create a cooling off period, Attorney Topazio continued the initial hearing when he learned the Client filed a notice to quit with her landlord and would move out of the building where both parties lived by the end of the month. In requesting the continuance, Attorney Topazio pointed out to the Court that the tension between the parties might end if his client no longer would be in a situation to see the petitioner, thereby rendering the petitioner’s request for a Harassment Order moot, and the Court agreed. Today, the complaint against the Client was dismissed and no order issued.