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Los Angeles Sexual Battery Attorneys

Sexual Battery Defense

In the state of California, if you have touched another person without their explicit consent for the purposes of sexual arousal, gratification or abuse, you could be facing a criminal charge of sexual battery – also referred to as sexual assault. This type of sex crime is extremely serious and due to the long-lasting ramifications that could stem from a conviction, it is vastly important that you do not hesitate to react proactively and aggressively towards a criminal charge.

According to the California Penal Code §243.4, sexual battery can be simplified to touching someone else without their consent. The elements of this crime that must be proven for a successful conviction include that you touched the person intimately, that it was either done without consent or that you gained consent through fraudulent means and that the touch was done for sexual arousal, sexual gratification or sexual abuse. This type of crime is considered to be a "wobbler" under California law, and depending on the circumstances of the case, could either be charged as a misdemeanor or a felony.

An example of a misdemeanor charge of sexual battery would be a professional touching the breasts of a client whereas a felony would be the touching of someone who was unconscious, restrained and / or disabled. For a crime of this nature to be convicted, penetration need not to have occurred (this falls under the criminal charge of rape). Penalties that could be associated with a felony crime of this nature include incarceration of up to four years in state prison, a monetary fine of up to $10,000 and a mandatory registration as a sexual offender.

Why hire a sexual assault attorney at our firm?

If you have recently been accused or you have reason to believe that you are being investigated, the very best thing that you can do for yourself is to contact a criminal defense lawyer to address the issues at hand. At Takakjian & Sitkoff, our legal team has proven again and again that we have what it takes to help our clients who are facing criminal charges of this nature. If you choose to secure our legal representation, you can trust that we will be willing to go the distance.

By working with an attorney from our firm, you can rest assured knowing that you will have an experienced heavyweight in your corner. Led by former sex crimes prosecutors, we have the full-bodied understanding of the law that you can rely upon. In fact, Attorney Stephen Sitkoff served as head of the sex crimes unit and was responsible for educating everything from police departments in Santa Monica and Torrance to staff at medical facilities and rape / domestic violence shelters in handling sex crime investigations.

When you have this level of education on your side, you can rest assured knowing that your legal rights will be protected to the full extent of the law. So what are you waiting for? When you have this much on the line, you need to be confident that you are doing everything possible to protect your legal rights and to fight for your just outcome. By working with the experienced attorneys from our firm, you can be confident knowing that you have someone who has the knowledge of this area of the law that you deserve. We have dealt with sex crimes cases from both sides – we know what it takes to protect your freedom. Call us today.