Westport Sexual Assault Lawyer
Mitigating the various consequences that a sexual assault allegation may have is not something you should try to achieve without a knowledgeable criminal defense attorney’s help. By working with an experienced Westport sexual assault lawyer, you could give yourself much better odds of securing a positive case result and protecting your best interests both in and out of court.
Different Degrees of Sexual Assault
As a Westport attorney could explain, state law defines four distinct degrees of sexual assault, as well as a few variants that only apply under specific circumstances. Broadly speaking, each degree of this crime is differentiated from the others depending on (1) whether the defendant allegedly engaged in unlawful sexual contact or unlawful sexual intercourse with someone else, and/or (2) whether they compelled that other person’s participation through actual or threatened physical force.
Sexual Assault in the Fourth Degree entails someone engaging in sexual contact with someone who does not consent without the use of force, as per Connecticut General Statutes (C.G.S.) §53a-73a. Third-Degree Sexual Assault likewise involves unlawful sexual contact, but as defined under C.G.S. §53a-72a, must also involve the defendant using or threatening force to compel that contact, or engaging in such contact with someone too mentally incapacitated by injury or disease to consent.
Sexual Assault in the Second Degree, under C.G.S. §53a-71, occurs when someone engages in sexual intercourse without using or threatening force and with someone who does not or materially cannot consent to sex. Finally, Sexual Assault in the First Degree as defined under C.G.S. §53a-70 covers unlawful sexual intercourse committed under the same conditions relevant to Third-Degree Sexual Assault, as well as intercourse with someone under 13-years old and an act of Second-Degree Sexual Assault committed with aid from two or more other people present.
What are the Penalties for Sexual Assault in Westport?
If you are charged and then convicted for an offense of this nature, you will very likely find yourself facing felony-level sanctions that may include substantial fines, several years of imprisonment, and mandatory registration as a sex offender.
There is one additional factor that is crucial to determining the classification and severity of a sexual assault offense: the age of the non-consenting party involved. If the person targeted by an act of sexual assault is under 16-years old at the time of the offense, the severity of the offense in terms of criminal classification increases by one level.
Depending on the circumstances, an act of sexual assault categorized within these four degrees can be prosecuted as anything from a class A misdemeanor–punishable by no more than one year of jail time–to a class A felony–punishable with prison terms of up to fifty years–as a sexual assault lawyer in Westport could further explain.
Seek Legal Help from a Westport Sexual Assault Attorney
State law enforcement and court authorities take sexual assault allegations more seriously today than they ever have before, and prosecutors often pursue harsh sentences even for first-time offenders. A conversation with a Westport sexual assault lawyer could provide answers to important questions and guidance about possible next steps. Click here to read our over 300 certified client reviews on Avvo.com, and call Mark Sherman Law today to schedule your confidential consultation.