If a guest at a party you are attending says that he or she is a lawyer, what do you imagine? You probably imagine that person wearing a suit, making eloquent speeches in a courtroom to establish reasonable doubt in the minds of jurors about whether his or her client is guilty of the charges…
This week’s news items serve as a reminder that sexual assault can happen to anyone, at any age, anywhere. It includes reports of sexual abuse that took place in fraternity houses and in immigrant detention centers, among other places. Additionally, people charged with sexual assault do not fit into a narrow group; despite the media…
False accusations of sexual abuse are terrible no matter the circumstances. If someone lies about having been the victim of sexual assault just to tarnish the reputation of the alleged perpetrator, then the alleged abuser is alone in his or her ordeal. If, however, a therapist or other adult continually suggests to children that a…
In recent years, Texas has taken several steps to tone down its image as a state in which lawmen pursue bad guys by any means necessary, caring more about their reputation for being tough on crime than they do about justice. A notable example of a move toward a justice system focused on rehabilitation of…
False allegations of sex crimes are a nightmare for anyone; they are among the worst kinds of character assassination. The situation becomes worse, however, if any of the parties involved are especially young. Punishments for sex crimes are more severe when the defendants are adults and the victims are below the age of consent, and…
In Texas, sexual relationships between an adult and a teenager are illegal; the only exceptions are “Romeo and Juliet” relationships, where the older partner is a very young adult and the younger partner is nearing the age of majority, such as a relationship between an 18-year-old college freshman and an 16-year-old college junior. The idea…
In Texas, as elsewhere, the sex-related offenses that have the most severe punishments are the ones that cause physical injury or involve bodily penetration, and the younger the victim is, the harsher the punishment for the crime. With regard to offenses that do not cause bodily injury or involve penetration, however, the victim’s age makes…
The difference between simple sexual assault and aggravated sexual assault is that the latter causes serious bodily injury to the victim. The 2013 attack for which Pfc. Levi Austin Goss is accused is one of the more horrific sexual assaults to make headlines in recent memory. Goss is currently awaiting extradition to Texas from North…
Lawyers who work with sexual assault cases know that there is a lot more variation in sexual assault cases than just the stereotypical view that you often see on TV. Thanks to awareness campaigns, most people now know that not all sexual assaults take place when a woman is walking outside alone at night and…
Texas, like many other states, treats sex-related offenses differently from other types of violent crime, acknowledging that, while any kind of violent crime inflicts both physical and emotional pain on the victim, the effects of sexual assault are particularly severe and long-lasting, especially if the victim is young. Therefore, Texas requires people convicted of sex-related…
Free Initial Consultation