Facing any criminal charge can be an intimidating and stressful situation regardless of the actual charge. Many criminal charges can also impact your life in a variety of ways, including impacting your freedom. When you are dealing with sexual assault charges of any kind or degree of severity, a conviction can affect your life in a number of ways even after you serve your debt to society. Because of what all is at stake, it is imperative that anyone in Tennessee facing sexual assault charges knows his or her rights and what the implications of a conviction may be.
Many types of sexual assault charges can lead to required registry as a sexual offender. Being put on this registry will follow you regardless of where you move. Supervision may be legally required, and where you can live will certainly be impacted. For example, registration as a sexual offender means you have to live a certain distance from schools or day care facilities.
There is undoubtedly a certain stigma of being labeled as a sexual offender. A sexual offender registry is part of the public record, and anyone can inquire as to who is on a list, meaning if you are listed, your community can and will have access to that information. Also, when someone is arrested for a sexual assault, regardless of the circumstances, the police or investigators may possibly violate his or her rights as they overstep the legal limits due to the nature of what they may believe has occurred.
In Tennessee, sexual assault charges are certainly taken seriously and pursued vigorously by any prosecuting body or investigative body. Therefore, anyone accused must also vigorously seek out and pursue defense options to protect his or her rights, first and foremost, and ensure fairness. Our firm understands what is at stake for those facing sexual assault charges and has more information online about the importance of a proper defense.