The state of New York is working to protect its public servants recently by raising the penalty for those who assault process servers, cleaners at public transportation stations, and utility workers. The law was signed by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, officially raising any such attack from a misdemeanor to a D felony subject to up to seven years in prison.
In a press release, Governor Cuomo explained, “These workers perform tasks that are vital to the operation of New York institutions and have increasingly become the targets of aggression and assaults. Signing these measures into law will help better protect these employees from harm and I thank the sponsors for their work to get them passed.”
Senator Catharine Young further emphasized the importance of this legislation change by stating, “Process servers play an important role in our justice system. It is reprehensible that someone would intentionally injure a process server simply for conducting the business of the courts and citizens of New York State. This new protection will elevate repercussions for those who harm process servers, keeping New Yorkers safe.”
Violence against process servers is well documented in the news. Earlier in the year, a process server in her 60s reported being nearly run over by the man she had attempted to serve with papers just moments before. In Auburn, a man threatened a process server with a large rock, and many other recipients have met process servers at the door with gun in hand. It is terrible but unfortunately not uncommon, which is why Governor Cuomo felt so strongly about stripping leniency away from men and women who direct their anger and fear at process servers.
Utility workers and cleaners at public transportation stations will also benefit from this law. Another section of the law makes it a crime to unleash or fail to control an animal in an effort to prevent service or retaliate for it. If New York sees success from these harsher laws, other states are sure to follow the example.
