Sex Crimes Lawyer Grand Rapids MI
If someone has accused you of sexual assault, your life will change forever. Instead of going on this journey alone, you can benefit immensely from having a sex crimes lawyer in Grand Rapids, Michigan from Blanchard Law represent you in court when you face your accuser.
It is best to get legal representation as soon as you know someone has accused you so that your attorney can begin working with you to build your case. Without legal representation, you may not know the proper court proceedings and best defenses against these sexual assault allegations. A conviction can cause your entire life to flip upside down. For more information on sexual assault and finding the right Grand Rapids MI sex crimes lawyer, read below.
What Is Sexual Assault?
Although someone might have accused you of sexual assault, you may not even be entirely sure what constitutes as sexual assault. Sexual assault occurs when one person forces some type of unwanted and unsolicited sexual behavior on another person. It is important to note that a sexual assault happens when the victim is physically unable to give their consent due to some type of incapacitation. Common examples of sexual assault are:
–Date rape
–Attempted rape
–Incest
–Fondling
–Exhibitionism
–Sexual harassment
Unfortunately, a sexual assault accusation can cause your reputation to be permanently damaged even if you are completely innocent of the crime.
How to Combat Accusations
Just because someone accused you of this crime does not mean you are guilty or that a court will find you guilty. Hiring a sex crimes lawyer in Grand Rapids MI can be one of the best things you can do for your case, and this means you can confront these accusations head on and move on as quickly as possible. A few other things you can do after speaking with your sex crimes lawyer Grand Rapids MI are:
–Write down exactly what happened and don’t leave out details. Even if the situation that you are recalling is embarrassing in any way, the more details about your case the better your attorney can piece the events together.
–Do not speak with law enforcement officers. Unless you are with your criminal lawyer Grand Rapids, MI offers and have agreed upon what to say, a police officer can use anything you say against you, even if they take it out of context.
–Create a list of witnesses. This can be incredibly imperative to your testimony and can help set up your timeline of how and when events occurred.
What Are the Penalties?
The penalties for sexual assault vary by state, but you could be facing:
–Tens of thousands of dollars in fines
–Jail time
–Months to years in prison
–Reporting to local police routinely for updated photographs
–Possibly banned from living in certain areas due to distances from schools
–Registering as a sex offender
–Likely losing opportunities for certain jobs
Getting the Right Sex Crimes Lawyer in Grand Rapids MI
Clearly, a sexual assault conviction is not a matter to take lightly, and the best possible defense begins with you seek out and hire a sex crimes lawyer Grand Rapids MI clients recommend who will represent you in court and go over all of your options with you. For more information about what you can do after someone has accused you of sexual assault, contact Blanchard Law now.