Gwinnett County Sex Crimes Lawyer

There is no body of crimes which carries more stigma than sex crimes do. Unfortunately, sex crimes cover a vast range of offenses, not just the stereotypical rape or sexual assault cases, but can also include everything from having consensual sex with a minor unknowingly to urinating in public.

Due to this stigma and the other serious penalties that these offenses can lead to, it is absolutely essential to have a Gwinnett County sex crimes attorney who is experienced in defending sex crime cases specifically. These cases are very different and the defense often has an uphill battle to overcome the jury’s prejudice against anyone who is charged with a sex crime, more so than other types of criminal cases.

For this reason, the moment you find out you are under investigation for or are charged with a sex crime, it is vital to contact a Gwinnett County defense attorney to begin preparing for the best possible defense for the defendant and combat the social stigma of sex crimes.

Common Sex Crimes

Sex crimes, for the most part, are felonies. The most common ones in Gwinnett County are child molestation, aggravated child molestation, aggravated sodomy, sexual battery, and rape. All of these charges are treated very seriously.

The single most common felony sex crime in Gwinnett County is child molestation charges when a person has consensual sex with a person under the age of 16.When talking with the District Attorney’s office, they almost always initially ask for prison in these charges. Accordingly, it is very important that the Gwinnett County sex crimes lawyer get to work as soon as the individual has been charged with a sex crime.

The Investigation

The key difference in the investigation of sex crimes case, as opposed to other types of cases, is that there is a sort of hysteria, or at least a prejudice, against anyone who is accused of a sex crime. Many times there is hostility from witnesses. From the very beginning, a sex crimes lawyer in Gwinnett County will start to talk to witnesses regarding what they saw, but when the witness learned that the defendant had been charged with a sex crime they become hostile.

This stigma carries over into the work which the police do, and certainly the attitude of judges and jurors towards the defendant. That is the biggest factor that the defense will have to overcome.

Role of an Attorney

The role of the Gwinnett County sex crimes attorney consists of several parts. The first is to lead the investigation into the offense, interview witnesses, investigate alibis, and review the evidence. The second important role is to negotiate with the District Attorney’s office to reach a resolution that is acceptable to the client and to learn from the District Attorney more about the case, and what they have discovered throughout their investigation.

If a sex crimes attorney is not prepared to take cases through to a jury trial, then they are not prepared to give their full and best services to their client. A Gwinnett County sex crimes attorney must be fully prepared to take the case all the way to a jury trial, as well as experienced and aware of the local procedures and prosecution.