What is Sexual Assault and Consent in Texas?
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December 23, 2019If you’re charged with a sexual assault crime in Houston, it’s essential to contact a Houston criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. Texas takes sexual assault and aggravated sexual assault crimes very seriously. The consequences of these crimes can follow you for the rest of your life and damage your reputation if you don’t take the necessary measures to get them rectified as soon as possible. When you work with the right attorney, they will take steps to create reasonable doubt in your case so that you can establish the best possible outcome.
Why You Need a Sexual Assault Attorney
If you’re considering representing yourself in a sexual assault trial, we strongly encourage rethinking this decision. The consequences of not using experienced legal representation could have extremely detrimental effects on the outcome of your case.
In Texas, sexual assault and aggravated sexual assault are punished extremely harshly. Depending on the crime, a guilty verdict can result in fines of up $10,000, registration as a sex offender, and in some cases, life in prison. You may consider working with a court-appointed attorney if you can’t afford to hire your own attorney. However, even if you use a court-appointed lawyer, you may end up still having to pay legal fees once your trial is over. It might seem like a good idea at the time, but court-appointed attorneys also have a very heavy caseload. They will not have the time to dedicate detailed attention to your case in the same way that a hired attorney will. Court-appointed attorneys may be qualified to take your case, but they also have the distraction of dozens of other cases that they are likely working on. Your situation is unique and needs an attorney who is going to dedicate themselves to you.
How to Hire the Best Sexual Assault Defense Lawyer?
If you live in the Houston area, it’s vital to hire a sexual assault defense lawyer that has knowledge of local laws. The local laws in each state vary, so it’s important to work with an attorney who knows the local procedures and is familiar with the people handling your case in your area. In addition to having knowledge of the local laws, you need to work with an attorney who has specifically handled sexual assault cases in the past. These types of cases have very unique defenses that can be tricky to maneuver if an attorney hasn’t handled cases of such nature in the past. When you meet with a potential attorney, ask them questions about their experience defending cases similar to yours.
Don’t rely on advice from strangers on the internet when it comes to how to handle your sexual assault charges. The smartest course of action is to speak with an attorney as soon as possible. Christopher T. Gore is a Houston criminal defense attorney that has decades of experiencing working with sexual assault cases. Contact our office for more information on how he can handle your case and help you get your life back on track.