When a student makes a threat to a school or to anyone at a school, whether staff or fellow students, the student may be investigated and charged with a crime, most likely harassment.  The First Amendment protects freedom of speech, and some language considered threatening may be protected. Investigating and defending allegations of harassment require a careful examination of the statements, actions and the circumstances surrounding the event.  In this training, defense attorneys and investigators will learn how to determine if the allegations meet the legal standard for harassment, whether the alleged threatening statements or behavior meet the definition of “true threat,” and what defenses or mitigation can be investigated and presented at trial or during plea negotiations.  In this CLE, participants will also learn about additional protections for youth when interviewed or searched by law enforcement.

This CLE is intended for criminal defense attorneys, investigators, mitigation specialists, sentencing advocates and education attorneys and related team members.

1.0 Law and Legal Credit has been requested from the WSBA for this program. To register, email wda@defensenet.org with “Harassment” in the subject line.