Seasoned Criminal Defense in Lynnwood, WA
Sexual assault is any unwanted touching or interaction and is taken very seriously in the state of Washington. Rape, or sexual battery, can be punished by many years in prison and being labeled a sex offender once released. A conviction can ruin your life and jeopardize your future which means as soon as you are charged you should contact our Lynnwood criminal defense attorney to begin fighting your charges.
The Law Office of Michael P. Sheehy, PLLC is committed to providing clients with proactive and strong defense no matter what they are charged with. Our firm boasts more than 22 years of experience handling criminal defense cases exclusively and in that time, our successes have led to our Superb rating from Avvo based on reviews by former clients as well as by our legal peers.
What is consent?
Compelling a person to engage in sexual contact against their will or when the victim is unable to give consent is considered rape and any such sexual battery or assault is grounds for felony charges.
Consent has the following legal characteristics:
- Both parties are responsible for knowing they have consent
- Consent may be withdrawn at any time
- Consent is not given once but is an ongoing process
- Nothing makes consent automatic or unnecessary
- Consent is not the absence of a no but the presence of a yes
While sexual assault and battery encompass many different offenses, first and second degree rape, for example, is a class A felony which carries up to life in prison and/or $50,000 in fines.
You Need a Strong Defense
Most rape cases come down to whether consent was involved. This can come down to how good a case your Lynnwood assault attorney can make on your behalf. Our firm has handled numerous sexual assault and battery cases over the years and we know how to beat the charges.
When your future is on the line with a sex crime charge, get experienced and knowledgeable criminal defense on your side. You have a right to a defense no matter what, so make sure you have quality defense fighting for you.
Call our firm when you are arrested and we can stand beside you throughout the entire process.