Los Angeles Criminal Defense Lawyer Blog

A 25-year-old man was recently arrested and charged with hiding a camera in the women's restroom of a Glendora Starbucks, The Los Angeles Times reports.

What this case ventures into voyeurism and areas of the law dealing with sex crimes, many times there is a need for protection from civil harassment in Los Angeles, which can sometimes be accomplished through restraining orders.

Los Angeles Criminal Defense Lawyers understand how frightening it can be to have someone constantly hounding you, which is why we are able to help you by using the law to your advantage. If you find yourself in a similar situation, call today. We have represented people on both sides of stalking cases; domestic violence is another area where civil protection orders often come into play.

In the Starbucks case, the man is accused of stalking a 21-year-old student for several days, breaking into her apartment and stealing her underwear. He is charged with placing a camera disguised as a plastic coat hook affixed to a wall directly across from a toilet. After confiscating the man's laptop, police believe there to be at least 45 female victims.

In a recent case of celebrity stalking, Lindsay Lohan won a two-year restraining order against a man who has allegedly peppered her with unwanted attention since 2009, The Los Angeles Times reports. According to the story, the man visited her house, leaving chocolates and articles about her with his name written on them. He has also shown up to her public appearances.

Sometimes, people accused of stalking have mental illnesses and aren't taking medication that can properly balance their psychological makeup. Sometimes, still, stalkers are exes who can't cope with the sting of rejection.

But neither of these excuse scary and potentially illegal activity. California Penal Code 646.9(a) says that stalking is willfully, maliciously and repeatedly follows or harasses another person or making a credible threat.

But with the advent of the Internet and its availability to most Americans, cyberstalking in Los Angeles is also a problem. This means using electronic means to harass and threaten people. This could mean constant instant messages, posts on social media web sites such as Facebook and Twitter or constant calls and e-mails.

Stalking in California is usually charged as a misdemeanor for a first-time offender, but that can be pushed to a felony punishable by three years in prison, depending on the circumstances.

In stalking cases or cases of domestic violence and harassment, restraining orders can be helpful to settling down a potentially explosive situation. In California, there are four types of restraining orders that a judge can sign into effect:

• Emergency Protective Order: Issued by law enforcement and effective for five days
• Domestic Violence Temporary Restraining Order: It's temporary for three weeks and can be made permanent for 1 to 3 years
• Criminal Protective Order: This restraining order is ordered through the District Attorney's Office and is issued in active domestic violence cases. It is also called a no-contact order
• Civil Harassment Restraining Order: This is used to stop harassment by neighbors, co-workers, roommates and others who may be bothering you as referenced above