Date Rape Attorney in Los Angeles

Los Angeles Date Rape Defense Lawyer

Date rape occurs when one person forces the other into sexual intercourse while the two were in a relationship or dating, but not married, as in spousal rape. State law makes no distinction between rape and date rape, and both are serious felony acts under Section 261 of the California Penal Code. Cases of date rape can be more complicated to resolve in court, because of the fact that the two people were involved in a relationship at the time. A crucial factor in any case involving rape is the matter of consent, whether or not the act of sexual intercourse occurred with the agreement and cooperation of the alleged victim. If it is proven that the defendant used force, threats of violence or promises of retaliation to gain the submission of the victim, the judge will rule that rape has occurred. You can also be convicted of date rape if you are proven to have drugged or intoxicated the victim so as to make it impossible to resist.

If you are found guilty of date rape, you will be subjected to felony criminal penalties that include as many as 8 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines. Even if you don't have to carry out the full sentence, you will still be listed as a sex offender under 290 registration, and if you don't participate in this program you can face criminal charges for failure to register. To prevent such major consequences, you need to get started on your case by speaking with a hard-hitting Los Angeles sex crime defense lawyer about your case to learn what you can do to defend your name. Anything you say to the alleged victim or to investigators can potentially add to the evidence against you, so avoid any such contact without the representation of your attorney.

Sex Crime Lawyer in Los Angeles

An attorney from Okabe & Haushalter can give you counsel and guidance throughout your case, and we will fight to clear your name of date rape charges. You have no time to waste when you have been accused, and it is vital to retain legal counsel as soon as you learn that you have been named as a suspect. Whether we can prove your innocence through DNA testing or challenge the reliability of the testimony, we will employ whatever strategy has the best chances of defending you in court.

Contact a Los Angeles sex crime defense lawyer if you have been accused of date rape and want to find out more about how we can help you defend the case.