Sex Crimes

Attorneys Van Wagner & Wood - Criminal Defense Lawyers - Madison Wisconsin

Sex crimes

Sex Crimes is a broader category of law that includes many crimes involving sexual contact and sexual behavior, including:

Felony Sexual Assault (Rape)
Possession Of Child Pornography
Serious Child Sex Offender
Sexual Exploitation By A Therapist
Sexual Exploitation Of A Child
Serious Sex Crime

Use Of A Computer To Commit A Sex Crime

Any charge involving sexual contact or sexual assault is a serious one, with possible long-term life-altering consequences, including the possibility of jail, if not prison, as well as fines, restitution and strict supervision on sex offender probation with severe restrictions on such things as employment, residence, and lifestyle. These charges also bring notable stigma, embarrassment and humiliation. Additionally, a court may order that a person convicted even of a misdemeanor of this nature to register as a sex offender for another fifteen years following the end of a jail or probation sentence. These ongoing effects can be devastating to one's family, career, and financial security. 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, like the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access System (C-CAP), is open to the general public, the police authorities and potential employers.

Most sexual assault and related sex crimes are felony offenses, although some sexual offenses and 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. However, the DA is willing to review the results of a sexual assault or sex crimes investigation before issuing a charge, and often is willing to look at and consider information helpful to the accused. This practice is due to the inherent difficulties of proving sexual assault allegations beyond a reasonable doubt where there are no witnesses other than the complaining witness and the accused person. Thus, when someone comes under investigation for crimes such as these, and they come to Van Wagner & Wood for immediate help, it is not uncommon for the attorneys at Van Wagner & Wood to help prevent charges from ever being filed. For this reason, if you or someone you know is being investigated for any type of sexual assault or sex crime, it is critical that you consult with Van Wagner & Wood's lawyers right away, in the hopes that they can help prevent charges from ever being filed. The mere filing of these charges, which are open to public view on the Wisconsin State Circuit Court website and the Sex Offender Registration, can do 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.

PETITION FOR TERMINATION OF LIFETIME SUPERVISION

If you were placed on lifetime supervision by a court in the state of Wisconsin 15 or more years ago, or petitioned the court more than three years ago, and have not committed a criminal offense since placement, contact the lawyers at Van Wagner & Wood to discuss how you may petition the court to have your supervision terminated. (A petition for termination will not be heard if filed before 15 years has elapsed since being placed on lifetime supervision). If you were placed on lifetime supervision by a court outside Wisconsin, Van Wagner & Wood's attorneys may be able to refer you to an attorney in the original jurisdiction.

what to do - where to turn

When a person is facing criminal sexual charges, 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 our hands, you can step back and leave the hard work to us. 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. We really can help.

successful - competent - aggressive - van wagner & wood

Van Wagner & Wood's record of success and professionalism gives clients a very important advantage: their winning record and highly professional reputation often cause prosecutors to make very favorable settlement offers (sometimes called plea bargains or plea agreements) to their clients, in order to avoid a trial or hearing at which Van Wagner & Wood might prevail.

Madison's Best Criminal Defense Lawyers

In a recent survey of all Madison lawyers, Chris and Tracey were both named among a small handful of the very best criminal defense lawyers in Madison. And both of them represent people on all types of criminal and drunk driving charges. The law firm of Van Wagner & Wood is AV-rated by the other lawyers in the region, which means, in short, that the local legal community considers them a top criminal defense law firm.

Attorney Chris Van Wagner - Criminal & Drunk Driving Defese

Attorney Chris Van Wagner has handled nearly one hundred felony trials in his twenty-plus years as an attorney. His trial cases have ranged from low-level offense all the way to kidnapping, homicide and domestic terrorism. Chris has handled matters in rural and urban counties, not to mention the hardened criminal courtrooms of Chicago, Illinois and Trenton, New Jersey, winning cases he was expected to lose quickly.

Attorney Tracey Wood - Drunk Driving & Criminal Defense

Attorney Tracey Wood won an outright acquittal in a case that made the national headlines a few years ago, when her client was cleared of any wrongdoing in a wide-ranging and emboldened conspiracy scheme that actually stole missile launchers and military tanks from the Ft. McCoy military base in northern Wisconsin. All but one other defendant in that case went to federal prison for years. In addition to this solid and successful trial history, Chris and Tracey have also argued and won appeals to the state and federal courts.

Van Wagner & Wood - Criminal Defense Attorneys That Win

Many criminal defense lawyers never experience the thrill of an outright acquittal in their career, and yet Van Wagner & Woods lawyers have won several for their clients. Their record clearly reflects their hard work, their intelligent and professional approach to their cases, and their skill in developing a strategy that fits an individual clients case, while drawing upon their knowledge, experience and skill from past cases.

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.