Being accused of committing a sex crime is serious, and a conviction can lead to jail or prison time, fines, and mandatory sex offender registration. If you or a loved one is facing this possibility, you can hire a Woodstock criminal defense lawyer from Speights Law to represent you.
For more than 20 years, our seasoned trial lawyers and former prosecutors have aggressively defended clients throughout Georgia against various criminal charges, including sex crimes. Our Woodstock sex crimes defense lawyer will work to minimize the consequences you face. This could mean reduced or dismissed charges or taking a plea bargain.
Call our law office for a private consultation to learn about your legal options and next steps.
Understanding Sex Crime Laws and Consequences in Georgia
In Georgia, sex crimes cover various violations involving unlawful or forced sexual acts against another person. The state’s legal system takes these offenses very seriously, and they carry severe consequences.
These include significant fines and a long-term prison sentence. Individuals convicted of a sex crime in Georgia can lose certain civil rights, such as voting or owning firearms, and they must register with the state as sex offenders.
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770-479-1500What It Means When You Must Register as a Sex Offender in GA
Serious felonies in Georgia can lead to adverse outcomes for convicted individuals. They will face prison sentences, harsh fines, probation, and other penalties. For sex crimes in particular, those convicted must be listed in the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Sex Offender Registry.
Having a sex offender status on your record can limit housing and job opportunities due to being listed in the registry, which the public can access at any time. Individuals in the directory must update their personal information yearly or more frequently if they change addresses, employment, or other personal details. They also may face restrictions on living near schools, parks, or other areas where children are present.
Other Consequences of a Sex Crime Conviction in Georgia
In some cases, individuals might be sentenced to probation, during which they must comply with various conditions such as therapy, community service, and regular check-ins with a probation officer.
For these and other reasons, defendants should consider hiring a lawyer who can defend them. Such defenses could include consent (except in cases involving minors who are too young to give consent), mistaken identity, insufficient evidence, and false accusations.
When you hire legal representation, you help protect your rights and ensure you are treated fairly as your case moves through the judicial system.
Our Woodstock Sex Crimes Defense Attorneys Will Defend You
If you face criminal charges, you might be considering how a conviction could change your life and your future. Speights Law recognizes the significant stakes involved, including choosing the right criminal defense attorney to defend your reputation.
Our Georgia-based legal team will leverage our collective legal experience of more than 120 years to craft your defense and seek alternatives to the most severe penalties. We can defend you against these charges:
- Sexual assault
- Rape
- Statutory rape
- Aggravated sexual battery
- Child molestation
- Child pornography
- Indecent exposure
- Prostitution
Our Woodstock attorneys working in sex crimes defense will seek a resolution that helps you avoid a conviction that compromises your privacy, job prospects, housing options, and more. Call us today for a private consultation.
What Our Woodstock Defense Lawyers for Sex Crimes Can Do for Your Case
When we meet with you to discuss your case, you can expect us to listen and ask questions. This ensures we understand what happened from your point of view and helps us determine how to best represent you.
We offer our clients a confidential space where they can share sensitive details with us openly without judgment. We also engage in upfront and honest communication to build trust with our clients. It’s important that you know what the potential penalties are in your situation, so we will explain those when we go over the details.
You can also expect us to:
- Protect your rights, ensuring you receive fair treatment: Our criminal defense attorneys are committed to making sure that your rights are upheld. We strive to secure fair treatment from the judicial system and safeguard our clients against any unfair practices or biases.
- Thoroughly investigate the situation: Our sex crimes defense attorney in Woodstock will collect and scrutinize all evidence that strengthens our argument on your behalf. We can review witness testimony and any visual evidence, such as video footage, to build a strong defense.
- Challenge the prosecution’s case: Our team will carefully examine the prosecution’s evidence and strategy to identify weaknesses. This includes assessing the trustworthiness of witnesses, how legal authorities collected the evidence, and if law enforcement followed protocols.
- Negotiate a plea agreement (if applicable): If we can work out a plea deal with the prosecution, this could resolve your case. We can work with the opposing counsel to potentially reduce your charges or decrease the penalties.
- Represent you in court: If we must take your case to trial, we will represent you before the court. This includes cross-examining the prosecution’s witnesses, introducing your witnesses, and submitting legal motions so we can effectively advocate for you.
We Will Fully Support You During the Entire Legal Process
The stress of facing criminal charges can take its toll on affected individuals and their loved ones. Uncertainty about the future can weigh heavily on families, as can other challenges, including growing financial burdens and a damaged reputation.
Our defense lawyers help our clients get through these tough times. We are prepared to handle any outcome and will stand with you until the end.
If the verdict is not in your favor, we can explore your options for appealing a criminal conviction in Georgia. This process involves taking your case to an appellate court for review, and we can manage it for you.
The court reviewing your appeal could do several things:
- It could overturn the verdict, leading to an acquittal or the dismissal of the charges.
- It could send the case back to the lower court for a new trial or further proceedings due to procedural errors or the introduction of new evidence.
- It could modify parts of the lower court’s decision that could lead to a reduced sentence or lesser penalties.
Why Work With Speights Law on a Woodstock Sex Crimes Case?
We care about our clients and what happens to them. When you work with our legal team, you will get aggressive representation, unmatched experience, and a team that will work diligently to shield you from the harshest consequences.
We collectively have more than 120 years of legal experience, so you can trust that we will use our knowledge to protect you. We will explain all laws to you and ensure you receive regular updates about your case’s status.
Call Us for Help With a Sex Crimes Case in Woodstock, GA
Sex crime accusations are serious. In addition to the harsh penalties, defendants in these cases are at risk of losing their reputation, personal and professional relationships, and community standing. If you or a loved one is accused in such a case, hiring a lawyer is your best move.
A Woodstock sex crimes defense lawyer from Speights Law will help you navigate the legal challenges in your case. Call or contact us online today for a private consultation. We are ready to get to work for you.