Abuse Using Technology

Tech misuse can often be dealt with in both civil court and criminal court. The process and purpose for using each court is different. You may accomplish different outcomes depending on which court you are in.

In state criminal court, the case is filed by the state or county prosecutor. The purpose is to punish the abuser for breaking the law, which may result in jail time. In civil cases, the case is filed by you or your attorney. The purpose is either to have the abuser pay you for damages that his/her behavior caused you or to ask the judge to issue a civil restraining order to stop certain behavior. In some situations, there may be both civil and criminal cases happening at the same time. For example, in 2008, Erin Andrews, a sportscaster on ESPN, was stalked by a man who filmed her in her hotel room through a peephole. He was convicted of stalking in criminal court and sentenced to jail. Later, she successfully sued the stalker in civil court for money damages for invasion of privacy and emotional distress.