Van Wagner & Wood :: Criminal Defense :: Sex Crimes :: Sexual Assault :: Sexual Assault Of Minor Child :: Felony :: Misdemeanor

Sex Crimes
Rape - sexual assault

van wagner & wood, criminal defense attorneys
sex crime defense lawyers

Wisconsin Sex Crime Accusations & criminal Charges

Any charge involving sex crimes, whether it is a date rape claim or a sexual assault accusation, is a serious one, with possible long-term life-altering consequences, including the possibility of jail, prison, fines, restitution and strict "sex offender probation" and lifetime supervision with severe restrictions on employment, residence, and lifestyle. Sexual assault charges also bring notable social stigma, embarrassment and humiliation.

A Wisconsin Circuit Court may order that a person convicted of a sex crime register as a sex offender for another fifteen years following the end of a jail or probation sentence. The ongoing effects of a sex charge can be devastating to one's family, career, and financial security.

Communication Notification Law - Sex Offender Registry

When Wisconsin enacted the Sex Offender Registration and Community Notification Law in 1997, all people convicted of certain sex crimes were required to register with authorities. The Sex Offender Registration is operated by the Wisconsin Department of Corrections and, like the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access System (C-CAP), is open to the general public, the police authorities and potential employers. Most sex crimes are felony offenses, although some sex crimes are misdemeanors. Regardless of the level of offense, any allegation or investigation for any sexual assault or sex-related crime is reviewed and prosecuted by the District Attorney.

Preventing Charges

However, and perhaps often overlooked by many defense counselors, is the little known fact that the investigation findings of a sexual assault or sex crime case are not written in stone, and a prosecuting attorney will review evidence properly presented and zealously defended by a criminal defense attorney who presents sound logical and intelligent argument. That type of information is helpful to the accused person's case and in some situations can cause the prosecuting attorney to drop the case before charges are filed, drop charges after filed but before tried. Prosecuting attorneys are willing to look at this evidence due to the inherent difficulties of providing sexual assault allegations beyond a reasonable doubt where there are no witnesses other than the complaining witness and the accused person.

If you have been accused of a sex crime, if you are under investigation for a sex crime, or if you have been arrested, the best time to contact the attorneys at Van Wagner & Wood is now. The mere filing of sexual assault charges of any type can cause tremendous damage to a person's reputation, as well as their financial security and future career opportunities, even if those charges never result in a conviction.

In a recent interview, legal analyst and criminal defense lawyer, Attorney Christopher (Chris) Van Wagner said, "Accusations of sexual contact and assault are one of the easiest accusations to make of all Wisconsin crimes, but sex crime charges are the worse possible type of accusation. Even when we successfully overcome a false accusation, the jury or judge's not guilty verdict often fails to overcome the social stigma".

Attorney Tracey Wood added, "Often times, there is so much more that we could have done if only we had been brought into the case earlier."

When asked how early a person should bring a criminal defense attorney into the case, Attorney Wood said, "As soon as a person knows that they are under investigation."

Wisconsin Laws Governing Sexual Assault & Other Sex Crimes

Wisconsin statutory law includes several sex crimes, most of which are listed below. You can click on the links below to read more information about that particular crime and the state's burden of proof.

• Adultery - sex with another person not your spouse.
• Bigamy - marriage or cohabitation with a person who is married to another or marriage to more than one person.
• Child Pornography - possession of photographs, videos or other material of a person who is knowingly under the age of 18 years.
• Child Sexual Abuse - any contact of a sexual nature with a person under the age of 18 years.
• Computer Sex Crimes & Use of Computer To Commit A Sex Crime - child pornography, digital photographs, enticement, internet cybersex crimes.
• Crimes Against Children - any crime against a person under the age of 18 years.
• Date Rape - sexual assault of another without permission.
• DNA Evidence & Evidence In Sex Crimes
• Electronic Data Process - unlawful recordings, illegal music downloads, piracy.
• Enticement - invitation or coaxing, solicitation to engage in sex.
• Exposure - illegal exposure of genitals or private areas of the body.
• Fornication - Public Fornication - sexual intercourse in a public place.
• Habitual Sex Offender - a person who has prior convictions, repeat offender with prior charges.
• Incest - sexual intercourse with a relative closer than second cousins.
• Indecent Exposure - exposure of private areas or genitals in a place not private.
• Lewd & Lascivious Behavior - sexual act or intercourse in public, indecent exposure in public.
• Lifetime Supervision - extensive supervision of a previously convicted person by police or other authorities and subject to rules of probation.
• Obscenity & Obscene Material or Performance - unwelcome sexually explicit conduct include e-mail.
• Pandering - solicitation for prostitution.
• Prostitution, Patronizing Prostitution, Soliciting Prostitution - intentional sexual intercourse or acts of sexual gratification in exchange for anything of value between unmarried persons.
• Rape - Felony Sexual Assault - Gang Rape - sexual assault.
• Serious Child Sex Offense - sexual assault of a minor child, aggravated sexual assault, sexual assault with battery.
• Serious Sex Crime - violent rape, sexual assault with battery.
• Sex Offenders - person convicted for violation of a sexual contact, intercourse or assault on a child under the age of 13 years.
• Sex Offenders & Work With Children
• Sex Offenses - Wisconsin sex crimes.
• Sexual Assault of a Minor - sexual contact or intercourse with a person under the age of 18 years.
• Sexual Assault - rape, date rape, gang rape.
• Sexual Battery - violent sexual assault.
• Sexual Conduct
• Sexual Contact With A Minor Child
• Sexual Exploitation Of A Child
• Sexual Gratification - exposure in a public place involving sex organs.
• Sexual Harassment
• Sexually Violent Offenses
• Sexually Explicit Conduct
• Sexually Motivated Violent Person
• Solicitation of a child for sex, sexual contact, sexual intercourse
• Termination of Lifetime Supervision
• Unwanted Physical Touching

Zealous, Experienced, Competent Expert Legal Advice

When a person is accused of a sex crime, everything about the situation seems bleak and hopeless, and the walls feel like they are closing in around you. They are not, but by placing your case in the hands of the attorneys at Van Wagner & Wood, you can step back and leave the hard work to them. Although there are no guarantees, at least you will know that you have the good, solid, competent, experienced, well-regarded and highly respected help of Van Wagner & Wood.

See Also:
Attorney Christopher T. Van Wagner | Attorney Tracey A. Wood |
Enticement | Incest | Solicitation | Lewd & Lascivious Behavior | Obscenities | Pandering | Prostitution |
Public Fornication | Rape | Felony Charges | Misdemeanor Charges |
Lifetime Supervision | Probation | Sex Offender Registry |

Today, many attorneys will tell you that there is a high degree of social stigma involved in any sexual assault charge. The attorneys at Van Wagner & Wood truly care about your life before, during and after the accusation, the charges, and the acquittal. VWW attorneys have tried numerous sexual assault cases to verdict winning outright acquittals when other attorneys thought the case was impossible to win. On this site, you will see many references to cases that the attorneys at Van Wagner & Wood have represented. Those references are by permission of the person acquitted of a sex crime (in many cases, the charges were for sexual assault or sexual assault of a child) not because the firm uses them to market the firm, but because these people want the vindication that comes through their name appearing with the affirmations by a court, former federal prosecutor, state prosecutor, and well known criminal defense attorneys where people can read it and see that they were truly acquitted on all charges.

Contact Van Wagner & Wood

If you are under investigation for a crime or drunk driving offense, if you have already been charged with a crime or drunk driving violation, or if you have already been convicted but believe your conviction or your sentence were wrong, call ( locally in Madison, Wisconsin, through Wisconsin) or e-mail ( ) the attorneys at Van Wagner & Wood right away. They will give you a brief but professional first-impression analysis of your case and your situation, which will allow you to take an important first step in defending the case against you. You can also submit information about a criminal offense investigation or charge or a drunk driving OWI investigation or charge for a free case review.