Collin County Rape Defense Lawyer

A conviction for rape can destroy your life. Even if you only suspect that you’re being investigated, it’s critical to hire a Collin County rape defense lawyer with the experience necessary to protect your rights. At the Edgett Law Firm, we have over 22 years of experience and a proven track record of successfully helping clients beat rape charges.

Don’t make the mistake of trying to deal with police and prosecutors alone. If you’re facing rape charges, call an experienced Collin County sex crimes lawyer for a free consultation today.

Why You Need To Call An Experienced Criminal Defense Lawyer If You’ve Been Accused Of Rape In Collin

If you’ve been accused of rape in Collin, TX, your case begins well before you’ve been formally charged with a crime. During the investigative phases, law enforcement will often try to convince you that you don’t need a lawyer. Nothing could be further from the truth. An experienced Collin County criminal defense attorney can fight to protect your rights.

Rape investigations commonly get started when someone regrets having sex with someone else. Alcohol might have been involved—or the alleged victim might have simply changed their mind. Regardless of the circumstances, if you’re accused of rape, false allegations can have devastating consequences.

Our lawyers have been handling rape cases for more than two decades. We know the tactics law enforcement officers often use to get suspects to admit guilt.

When you hire the Edgett Law Firm, you’ll have the most aggressive possible defense team in your corner. We will:

Investigate Your Case

Our experienced criminal defense attorneys have the resources to conduct a comprehensive investigation into your case. Depending on your case, we work with the following:

• Professional investigators
• Forensic medical experts
• DNA experts
• Psychologists
• Polygraph experts

Importantly, we’ll also work to find out the basis for the law enforcement investigation. Often, rape suspects don’t fully understand the severity of what’s happened. They may have gone home with someone who later called the police and alleged rape. That person might have said they were too drunk to have given consent—or that they never really gave consent at all.

The alleged victim may have even called you after the fact and attempted to discuss events related to an accusation you don’t even know about yet. Recording these calls is a common strategy used by detectives to gain evidence to use against you.

Protect Your Constitutional Rights

In rape cases, law enforcement will often contact the suspect and ask them to come in for questioning. If this happens, it’s vital to have an experienced defense attorney by your side. Even if the police say you don’t need a lawyer, you need a lawyer.

After all, the detectives are working to build a case against you. They’re specially trained to put suspects at ease. That way, you’re more likely to say something that makes you look guilty.

You have the right to an attorney anytime you’re being questioned by law enforcement. Unfortunately, detectives often try to manipulate the truth in order to get you to admit guilt. If you’re like most people, accusations of rape are extremely unnerving. You might unwillingly say something that can later be used to incriminate you.

The best thing to do is call a lawyer before you ever speak to the police. If you already have, our lawyers can work to get any evidence or statements that were obtained illegally thrown out.

Fight For You At Trial

Our ultimate goal is to have your charges dropped before a trial becomes necessary. If charges have already been filed, we’ll work to build the aggressive and strategic defense you need to beat the charges.

At the Edgett Law Firm, our criminal defense lawyers know what it takes to build a case designed to convince a jury to vote not guilty. We know that your entire future is on the line if you’ve been accused of rape. Sex crime charges in Texas should never be taken lightly.

Whether you know the person who’s accusing you of a crime or it’s a complete stranger, the importance of hiring a skilled lawyer can never be overstated. Your lawyer’s abilities may be all that stands between you and years in prison. To learn more about how we can help, call our law offices to schedule a free consultation today.

Overview Of The Rape Laws In Texas

Sexual assault is the legal term for rape in Texas. In order to convict, the prosecution must prove that the defendant, knowingly or intentionally, did one of the following:

• Without the victim’s consent, penetrated the sex organs or anus of the victim by any means
• Without consent, penetrated the victim’s mouth with the defendant’s sex organ
• Caused a child’s sex organ to penetrate or come into contact with the mouth, anus, or sex organ of another person, including the defendant
• Caused the anus of a child to contact the mouth, anus, or sex organ of another person, including the defendant
• Caused a child’s mouth to contact the anus or sex organ of another person, including the defendant

The acts are considered “without consent” if the defendant uses violence, physical force, or coercion. Using the date rape drug or impairing the victim’s ability to consent can also be used to prove consent was lacking. Sexual assault is usually a second-degree felony.

In the most serious cases, first-degree felony charges may apply.

Statutory Rape

In Texas, statutory rape means sex with a minor who is under the age of 17. It doesn’t matter whether you know the person’s age.

If you’re facing criminal charges and seeking legal advice, call to speak with an experienced criminal defense lawyer who knows how to get the facts straight in your case.

We Handle All Types Of Rape Defense Cases

At the Edgett Law Firm, we handle all types of cases involving sex crimes, including:

• Date rape
• Statutory rape
• Sexual assault
• Rape
• Indecent exposure
• Child pornography
• Failure to register as a sex offender
• Sexual abuse
• Rape with aggravating factors
• Rape of a child

It’s important to understand that while any rape charge is serious, aggravating factors could make the potential punishment even worse. If you’re accused of using a deadly weapon or causing serious bodily injury in connection with a sexual assault, you could face charges of aggravated sexual assault.

Punishment For Conviction On Rape Charges

If you’re convicted of rape, you’ll almost always be sentenced to prison and face steep financial penalties. Second-degree felony charges carry between two and 20 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines.

If you’re charged with first-degree rape, you’ll face a possible sentence of between five and 99 years in prison.

In a rape case, prison and financial fines are, however, only the beginning of the true punishment you’ll face. Collateral consequences of a rape conviction often include:

• Lifetime supervised parole
• A permanent criminal record
• Sex offender registration
• Loss of child custody rights
• Loss of employment opportunities
• Loss of professional licenses
• Damage to personal relationships
• Difficulty finding a place to live

Our Collin County criminal defense attorneys at the Edgett Law Firm will do everything we can to help minimize the consequences if you’re facing rape charges. To learn more about how we can help, call us right away.

Sex Offender Registration

Anyone who is convicted of rape will be subject to the Texas sex offender registration rules. Whenever you move, you’ll be required to notify local law enforcement authorities. Within seven days, you’ll have to provide the authorities with:

• Your name, address, and basic identifying information
• Details about the crime you committed
• Your vehicle information
• And more

This information is usually made public in a sex offender registry. Your neighbors and potential employers will have access to that information. Sex offender registration requirements can last a lifetime

An Aggressive, Strategic Defense Is Key To Beating Rape Charges In Texas

A key element in most rape cases is the issue of consent. The prosecution will leave no stone unturned in conducting a full investigation designed to prove consent was lacking. You deserve a defense attorney who is dedicated to doing the same for you.

We know what it takes to build an effective defense because we have real-life trial experience to back up our legal knowledge.

A strong defense could consist of any one or more of the following, depending upon the circumstances:

• Mistaken identity
• False allegations
• Constitutional violations
• Insufficient evidence
• Problems with DNA or other hard evidence
• Challenges to the credibility of the prosecution’s witnesses

Sexual assault or rape charges are often based on false allegations. Witnesses have their own motives for testimony—and sometimes those motives cloud the truth. Our lawyers will thoroughly investigate to get to the bottom of what’s motivating each and every witness.

Schedule Your Free Consultation With An Experienced Collin County Rape Defense Lawyer Today

Even if you’re innocent, rape charges can begin to have a negative impact on your life almost immediately. Even your close friends and family might begin to treat you differently. It’s important to fight back—and it’s critical to start that fight right away.

An accusation does not have to equal conviction. Our attorneys at the Edgett Law Firm are ready to hear your side of the story. If you want to learn more about how our skilled legal team can help fight the charges to protect your future, call for a free consultation with a Collin County rape defense lawyer today.  We represent clients in Collin, Texas, and across North Texas.