Howard County Sexual Battery Lawyer 

All criminal charges should be taken seriously, but the consequences for conviction on some charges are more serious than others. Sexual battery is a very serious accusation and working with a Howard County sexual battery lawyer to defend against these charges can be an important first step in asserting your rights.

If you have been charged with a sexual battery offense then an experienced criminal defense attorney might be an important part of your approach to your defense.

Maryland takes crimes like sexual battery very seriously and will take a firm stance in prosecuting these alleged crimes. One of the first steps in understanding the charges you are facing is understanding them.

Understanding the Charge

Sexual battery can occur in many different circumstances. It may include rape and other forms of sexual assault and will likely be graded by the severity of the circumstances.

In general, sexual battery occurs when an individual engages in a sexual act with another individual against a person’s will. Generally, the involvement of a weapon or during the commission of another crime will result in the action being charged as rape in the first degree.

Second-degree rape charges may result from engaging in sexual intercourse with an individual who is mentally or physically handicapped either permanently or temporarily, such as engaging in sexual intercourse with an individual who is too drunk to give informed consent.

Sexual battery may also include sexual contact without the other individual’s consent. That means uninvited and/or unwelcome physical contact of a sexual nature may count as sexual battery.

Potential Consequences of a Sexual Battery Conviction

Sexual battery is a serious crime, especially given the high degree of public interest in such charges. As such, the consequences of a conviction can be severe. As with many crimes, the actual potential consequences for the charges that someone faces will be heavily dependent upon the actual circumstances of their case. There may be aggravating or mitigating factors that a court can take into consideration when determining appropriate sentencing. There are also cases where the court does not have discretion in sentencing, such as when the crime involves someone under 13 years old.

The maximum penalty for first-degree rape charges could be life in prison, depending on the circumstances of the alleged crime. Lesser charges may be prosecuted as a misdemeanor offense but could still result in significant jail time and monetary fines.

An experienced Howard County sexual battery lawyer can help someone understand more about the potential consequences of a conviction in their individual circumstances. A dedicated criminal defense attorney will also take a dynamic and thorough approach to working with an individual in exploring all of the options that they may have available in establishing a defense.

How a Howard County Sexual Battery Attorney Could Help

The consequences of conviction on sexual battery charges can be significant and may have a lifelong effect on your livelihood and opportunities. It is important to remember that you do not have to face these charges alone. An experienced criminal defense attorney understands how much is on the line when it comes to serious criminal charges like this and can work with you throughout the legal process involved in facing these charges.

Working with an experienced criminal defense attorney that understands the state’s laws on sexual battery can be an important part of understanding your rights and advocating for them. If you are facing sexual battery charges, contact the dedicated Howard County sexual battery lawyer today to find out more about how they can work with you.