Griffin, GA Sex Crime Lawyer

Griffin, GA Sex Crime Attorney

Being charged with a sex crime in Georgia is a serious accusation that can carry severe penalties, including jail time, fines, and can even impact the rest of your life. It is vital that you seek help from someone who understands sex crime laws and can help you form a solid plan moving forward. A Griffin, GA, sex crime lawyer has extensive experience with these cases and is ready and willing to help you navigate this frightening time.

How We Can Help

At Miller North & Brill, we understand that these accusations can affect not only your freedom but also carry intense social stigma that can follow you around for a long time. We offer an aggressive approach designed to help you avoid those consequences or, at least, minimize them.

We have helped hundreds of clients facing similar charges, and we understand what it takes to represent you with skill and support. As experienced criminal defense lawyers, we fight for your constitutional rights and form a solid strategy to help you combat these accusations.

Sex Crime Law in Georgia

According to Georgia crime statistics from 2024, a rape occurs every 2 hours and 37 minutes. Sex crimes are taken seriously and can carry severe penalties.

Georgia doesn’t define a single sex crime; instead, the state has a list of sex crimes and their potential penalties. The crime will be defined as either a felony or a misdemeanor, depending on the circumstances surrounding it. Georgia courts often issue harsher punishments for sex crimes and are typically required to register the convicted person as a sex offender.

The different types of offenses have different sex crime penalties. A few of those offenses are:

• Rape. This is defined as forcibly acting sexually against a female or a child under 10 years old. Penalties could include:
  • Death
  • Life imprisonment
  • Split imprisonment
• Statutory Rape. This applies to those who’ve acted sexually with anyone under the age of 16 years old. The penalty could be:
  • Imprisonment between 1-20 years
  • Imprisonment between 10-20 years if the convicted person is over 21
• Aggravated Sodomy. This involves committing sodomy forcibly and against a person’s will, and with a person under 10 years old. The penalty might be:
  • Life imprisonment
  • Split imprisonment
• Child Molestation. If convicted of molesting a child, the penalties could be:
  • Imprisonment between 5 and 20 years for a first-time offender
  • Imprisonment between 10 and 30 years for second-time offenders
• Aggravated Child Molestation. This involves child molestation that causes injury or forced sodomy. Penalty options include:
  • Life imprisonment
  • Split sentence

This is only a small representation of potential sex crime charges. For help understanding your specific charges, reach out to a sex crime lawyer who can explain the charges and inform you of the potential penalties.

Hire a Sex Crime Lawyer in Griffin, GA

Hiring a sex crime lawyer is essential to help fight the life-altering consequences of just being accused. A Griffin sex crime lawyer has the ability to:

• Offer legal advice. If you’ve been accused, it’s important to seek legal advice even before speaking with law enforcement. A skilled lawyer can help you understand your rights, including the right to remain silent. This type of advice can make a big difference as you navigate these charges
• Develop strategies. Because these charges can have long-lasting consequences, a sex crime attorney is there to help you understand what your possible defense could be.
• Negotiate a plea bargain. Sex crime lawyers are skilled at negotiation and can help negotiate to reduce your charges.
• Represent you in court. Whether your trial is at the Griffin Municipal Court on Hill Street or elsewhere, a sex crime attorney fights aggressively on your behalf.
• File an appeal. If you are convicted, your lawyer can also file an appeal on your behalf.

Having someone on your side who has an in-depth understanding of the law can make a huge difference in your outcome. Speak to a sex crime lawyer today.

FAQs About Griffin, GA Sex Crime Laws

What Are the Sex Laws in Georgia?

All states have sex laws, and Georgia is no different. These laws typically apply to forced or coerced sexual activity, but can also apply to certain sexual acts between consenting individuals. The legal age for consent in Georgia is 16 years old, meaning that engaging in sexual acts with anyone 15 or younger would be considered statutory rape. There is also an anti-sodomy law in Georgia that is unenforceable because the Supreme Court found all anti-sodomy laws unconstitutional in 2003.

What Is the New Law for Sex Offenders in Georgia?

The new law is sometimes referred to as Miriam’s Law. It requires sex offenders to do two things. The first is to wear an ankle monitor if they haven’t been assessed for risk. Once they have been assessed, levels 1 and 2 might not have to wear the monitor, but a level 3 risk would require an ankle monitor for the duration of their sentence. The second requirement would be to carry an identification card.

What Are the Levels of Sex Offenders in Georgia?

There are three levels to classify sex offenders in Georgia. The first, level one, covers sex offenders who are at a low risk of causing harm and committing those acts again. Level two pertains to sex offenders with an intermediate risk to harm others and to commit the sexual offense again. The third level applies to sexual predators who have a high risk of committing dangerous sexual offenses again. This includes rape, child molestation, aggravated sexual battery, and more.

What Is the Juliet Law in Georgia?

The Romeo and Juliet Law in Georgia aims to protect those under age who might engage in a sexual manner with one of their peers. For this to apply, the individual engaging in the act must be no more than 4 years older than the younger individual, who must be at least 14 years old. Before this law was enacted, teens were at risk of being charged with serious sexual crimes if they engaged in consensual activities with their peers.

Contact Miller North & Brill Today

At Miller North & Brill, our years of experience representing sexual crime cases give us an extensive ability to prepare a solid case on your behalf. Being charged with a sexual crime is serious and can dramatically affect the rest of your life, including future employment and where you live.

These charges can be terrifying, but you don’t have to face them alone. We are here to help you navigate the process and fight for you.

Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.