Legal Question in Criminal Law in Pennsylvania

Restraing Order threat

Played a joke into tricking someone that a friend of ours was hurt. A friend of mine made a fake picture of an obituary (which was an obvious fake), they did not post it in the paper or anything and try to make it official, just sent it to the person the joke was to be played on.

The roommate of the person this joke was on has not been bothered and was not contacted but says because she is afraid of anything that could happen because she doesn't know the people that played the joke is making the claim that they can file for a restraining order and if the police don't do something, her future husband will.

Now this person was not contacted, they were not threatened, in fact nobody was threatened and the person the joke was played on doesn't really care. Aside from that the person the joke was played on isn't even on the lease to the apartment.

My question is this, is there any validity to their threat? I don't believe you can punish somebody for what they MAY or MAY not do, especially if there was no threat or even contact with the individual.


Asked on 6/10/08, 2:37 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
John Gibson John W. Gibson, Esquire

Re: Restraing Order threat

I don't think a restraining order is anything to worry about. There may be some kind of a civil claim if they spent money sending flowers or something or criminal liability if it was viewed as a threat but I'd be surprised if any Judge issued a restraining order.

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Answered on 6/11/08, 5:18 pm


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