Felony sex crimes carry mandatory prison sentences.
There are other consequences for a sex crime conviction that last far beyond time served in prison.
Conviction of a sexual crime will follow you for the rest of your life, so make sure, if you are faced with sex crime charges, that you contact an attorney immediately.
Due to the severity and complex nature of sex offense crimes, some prosecuting attorneys specialize in this area.
Hiring a specialized sex crime attorney will assist you in your defense against a prosecuting attorney who deals only with sex crimes cases.
When choosing an attorney to handle your sex crime case, do not choose an attorney who has no experience in this area.
A regular defense attorney might not know all of the intricacies surrounding sex crime legislation.
At least, they will not be as familiar as someone who deals with sexual crimes on a daily basis.
Sex crimes fall into a different category from most crimes because the "innocent until proven guilty" structure of our legal system is very often ignored when someone sits accused of a sexual offense.
This is especially true when the offense is committed against children.
If a child is confused, frightened about a lie they told, or if they are being manipulated by another adult influence to unfounded place blame on an individual, these possibilities are oftentimes forgotten in a courtroom as a jury looks harshly at the person accused of harming the child.
A sex offense crimes attorney understands all of this and can show your case to a judge and/or jury that assists them in taking all of the facts into consideration, in lieu of prejudging the case based upon the awful nature of the accusation.
Choosing the right attorney for your case can be the difference between an innocent verdict and being a registered sexual offender for life.
Make sure you research the sex crimes attorneys in your area.
Take advantage of free consultations in order to ask questions regarding the level of representation you can expect.
Since a sex crimes case is so complex, you need an attorney who will be hands on in your case.
Make sure you know if they will be your go-to person when you have questions, or if additional evidence or any other considerations need to be presented to the court.
If you have been accused of a sex offense crime against a child, make sure your attorney can help you with issues regarding child services as well.
Not only will social workers play a role in your case, they also have an influence on your right and ability to see the child or children in the future.
If the accusation is unfounded, you want an attorney who can not only help you avoid prison time, but someone who can help you see the child again in a family type setting.
After researching sex offense crimes attorneys in your area, and interviewing them to see which one might be the best fit for your case, make sure you call your local bar association to see if any complaints have been filed against them or their firm.
Once you are satisfied that the attorney you have chosen will live up to your legal needs, you can get started on your case.