Importance of a Sex Crimes Attorney in Ocean City
Someone who has been charged with a sex crime can face an entire range of penalties depending on what they are convicted of. If they are convicted of a misdemeanor sex crime then they are facing some period of time in jail, perhaps a suspended sentence.
On the other end of spectrum, for instance, given a conviction for something like first-degree rape, the sentencing will be much more severe. In that case, a defendant would face the likelihood of years in prison, perhaps even a mandatory minimum sentence which does not allow for any parole. Either way, the presence of an experienced Ocean City sex crimes lawyer is imperative in order to mitigate the damage as much as possible and ensure that an individual’s rights are protected throughout the legal process.
Sex Offender Registry
In most cases, there is a separate penalty of having to register as a sex offender, which can be damaging to one’s future. There are cases where the criminal penalty was not that severe but the registration aspect of the sex offender registry was life-altering.
Some people have lost their jobs, and other have been removed from the military, both for being on and/or violating the sex offender registration. It is important to note that a violation of this type can be as simple as not re-registering within the mandatory time frame any time the person has moved to a new address. As the examples illustrate, it can be really onerous to be a sex offender registrant.
When to Hire An Attorney
In these cases, getting an attorney at the soonest point possible is best, because so much of the investigation has to be done very early on. Often, people agree to being interviewed by the police and they do not have an attorney present at the questioning. As a result, they can say things that can be incredibly damaging to their case later on without even realizing it.
It is important to be consulting with an attorney before someone decides whether or not to engage with and speak to a police officer. This is because, among other services, an experienced lawyer will be able to do a reconnaissance of the area.
In other words, sometimes an attorney will go to the location where the events in question allegedly took place and see it for themselves. This is because sometimes an accuser will allege that something happened, but further inspection of the area indicates that there are inconsistencies in the story.
Other tasks as well, if they are not done right away, the opportunity to do them disappears, as evidence can erode or fade away. For this reason, it is important to hire an attorney right away.
Importance of Trust in Attorney-Client Relationship
Trust is very important because sex crimes are the types of cases where someone faces significant penalties, such as spending the rest of their life behind bars, or being decades older by the time they are finally released.
An attorney has to make sure that they help the client understand what all the potential outcomes are. If the client does not believe that the attorney has their best interest at heart, and the client thinks that they have not done their part in explaining the case or following up on the evidence, then the client is going to be reluctant to hear what the attorney has to say when it comes to advising on a course of action.
These are very difficult cases because often times they result in all or nothing options. Depending on the circumstances, it would matter very much what the plea is, and if the client feels that they have no choice but to plead not guilty and try to go to trial.
However, there are other clients who feel that they have no choice but to try and attempt negotiating a plea because the potential outcome of a trial is so horrendous. Either way, with a strong bond of trust between attorney and client, they will better be able to decide together on the best course of action moving forward.