13-2921. Harassment; classification; definition

355 words·~2 min read·/az/title-13/13-2921

A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.

A. A person commits harassment if the person knowingly and repeatedly commits an act or acts that harass another person or the person knowingly commits any one of the following acts in a manner that harasses:

1. Contacts or causes a communication with another person by verbal, electronic, mechanical, telegraphic, telephonic or written means.

2. Continues to follow another person in or about a public place after being asked by that person to desist.

3. Surveils or causes a person to surveil another person.

4. Makes a false report to a law enforcement, credit or social service agency against another person.

5. Interferes with the delivery of any public or regulated utility to another person.

B. A person commits harassment against a public officer or employee if the person, with intent to harass, files a nonconsensual lien against any public officer or employee that is not accompanied by an order or a judgment from a court of competent jurisdiction authorizing the filing of the lien or is not issued by a governmental entity or political subdivision or agency pursuant to its statutory authority, a validly licensed utility or water delivery company, a mechanics' lien claimant or an entity created under covenants, conditions, restrictions or declarations affecting real property.

C. Harassment under subsection A is a class 1 misdemeanor. Harassment under subsection B is a class 5 felony.

D. This section does not apply to any of the following:

1. A lawful demonstration, assembly or picketing.

2. A professional investigator or peace officer who is licensed by this state and who is acting within the scope of the investigator's or officer's duties in connection with any criminal or civil investigation.

3. A certified and duly authorized process server who is acting within the scope of the process server's duties in connection with any judicial or administrative action or proceeding.

E. For the purposes of this section, "harass" means conduct that is directed at a specific person and that would cause a reasonable person to be seriously alarmed, annoyed, humiliated or mentally distressed and the conduct in fact seriously alarms, annoys, humiliates or mentally distresses the person.