A few years ago, I was in a pretty serious car accident. During the aftermath, I became really familiar with a lot of different types of lawyers. I worked with personal injury lawyers, insurance lawyers, and many others. Perhaps the most important, though, was the estate planning lawyer. I was really young, and neither my wife or I had thought about starting a will. But the accident kind of scared us into it. What would happen if one of us were to die? Even when still in the hospital, I was working with the lawyer to draw up a will. Now, I have some peace and security about what the future will be like if something should happen to me. And I have a lot of experience working with various types of lawyers! The accident was kind of a blessing in disguise in that way.
If you have caught one of the teens in your neighborhood doing something very illegal on a home camera and you want to press charges, it's best to meet with a lawyer first. You want to find a law firm in your area that takes family law cases. The law firm can then assign a lawyer to you that can go over the details of the case with you. Here are some of the things you want to know before you take further action, as well as some questions to ask the lawyer.
Is there Enough Evidence to Prove Guilt?
What the camera has captured is important, but it may not be enough to prove guilt. If you can prove that the teen was around your property, but there isn't surveillance of them vandalizing, stealing, or breaking into the property, you may not have enough evidence to press charges for the crime. Go over the camera shots in detail to see if you can prove what you saying happened and if the evidence will hold up in court.
Is the Action Worthy of a Crime?
To you, it may seem that you can press charges for theft or trespassing, but if the teen didn't steal anything of value or do enough damage to your property to put you in a financial bind, they may not have done anything worthy of substantial punishment.
You could end up spending more money in court and legal fees, and they won't be punished. Your lawyer will go over the details of what they could be charged with, and what the consequences and punishments could be for the actions.
Are You Ready for the Aftermath of Pressing Charges?
You will have to decide if you are ready to put yourself in an uncomfortable situation with your neighbors. This could also put tension between you and other neighbors, especially if charges are pursued and there are punishments. You want to know that you feel comfortable moving forward with legal action before you sign the paperwork.
If you aren't sure whether you should take legal action right away or offer to let the teen or the parents correct the situation, talk with your lawyer about sending them a letter or contacting them in another way. It may be better to have the lawyer do the communicating while you are upset. He or she can help you come up with the best solution for the problem so you are ready to move forward if needed.
Share17 October 2018
