Can You Get Arrested For Prank Calling in Florida?

Prank calling is a common practice in America that has been around for many years. From the 80s and 90s when caller ID identification was not around to now this is one sham that has been around and is likely to stay around for long. This sham or comedy does not just exist in America alone but in other places in the world too.

While prank calling in itself might not be a big problem, its effects can sometimes be devastating. Depending on who is calling and to where, the consequences of prank calling can be calamitous. There are even recorded cases in the past where prank calling resulted in some injuries and even loss of life as some people reacted to the calls made to them.

The bad thing about prank calling is that anyone can just call about anything. Some people chose to make frightening calls while others might make some rather unsettling requests through these calls. These calls have over time gone on to throw the spanner into the works around some people sparking an efficient containment reaction.

Some of the reactions to prank calling have been costly while others have resulted in some injuries or both. These outcomes among others especially from long time ago are what ignited a discussion about prank calling. The discussion majored on prank calling: Legal consequences and alternatives.

Is prank calling illegal and what can be done to stop them considering their effects? These questions are just few among many which have necessitated some clarifications about these calls. Are they illegal and if they are then what are the possible consequences for the people found culpable for this offence.

If you are in Florida and asking these questions then you are going to find details about your questions in this text. The text is going to give you all the clarification you need regarding this question and in the end you are going to have all the answers to the questions you have regarding prank calling.

Prank Calling is Illegal

To put it right, prank calling is illegal in America. However, the problem is that prank calling could just be anything and sometimes some people might not even know they have been prank called. So before proceeding with this discussion it is very important to start by defining what prank calling is or what constitutes prank calls under the law in Florida.

The general definition of prank calling is a call that is made to someone as a practical joke. The call can be regarded as a nuisance call and could come with some rather ridiculous requests. In some cases, the callers might even go as far as asking the people receiving the call to do some things which might result in some form of harm or inconvenience.

While prank calls from family members or close friends can be condoned those coming from strangers cannot be treated in the same way. In fact, many cases of prank calls have come from people who are unknown to the recipients of the call receivers. These are the people being discussed in this text and the possible ramifications for their actions in Florida.

What Does The Florida Laws Say About Prank Calling?

To better answer the question is prank calling illegal in Florida it is necessary to start by looking at what the law says about these activities. As said above already prank calling is very diverse in terms of the activities and the intention of the caller. Nonetheless, the Florida states prank calling as follows:

Someone making continues calls to someone which brings up a conversation that then results in the caller threatening the receiver of the caller.
Someone calling another person and threatening the receiver of the call
Making a call to someone and saying something that can be interpreted to mean obscene language indecent and vulgar.
Calling someone with the intention of annoying, offending and harassing another person
Calling someone and occasioning an unnecessary conversation
Calling someone and failing to disclose your location and reveal your identity
Calling someone repeatedly without a proper motive

These scenarios are just few of the conceivable situations which make up prank calling. There are many more that can only be determined by a court of law upon request. One such case could be someone unknown to you calling you and telling you something that is not true that results in some distress in you.

Anyone taken to court and found guilty of either one or many of these offences full is liable for the consequences of his or her actions. These offences might have different punishments under the law once the offender has been found guilty.

The Penalties for Prank Calling

By now you know that prank calling is illegal and you even know some of the phone incidents that constitute prank calling. If someone calls you and ascertain that the person has committed a prank calling offence you can take them to court where they will be tried and if found guilty will be punished as follows.

The offender could face up to 60 days in jail if found guilty of prank calling offence
Some courts might send the prank calling to a 6 months’ probation after which the offender will be released
If not these two, the offender might be asked to pay a fine of up to $500 depending on the magnitude of the offence.

Prank Call Offenders Can Escape Punishment

It should also be noted that some courts might after trial find people suspected of prank calling innocent and release them. In this case, the plaintiff might have to abandon the case unless the case is of great magnitude to warrant an appeal at a higher court. The biggest challenge in these trials is being able to convince the judge or jury that whatever phone call that was made to someone was a prank call.

Final Thoughts

Is prank calling Illegal? Yes it is. The Florida laws prohibits prank calling and goes ahead to outline what might be regarded as prank calling and the laws of the state. The state also outlines the possible punishment for this offence should anyone be found guilty of it.