McLean, VA Sexual Assault Defense Lawyer

Aggressive Sex Crimes Lawyer Fighting Against Sexual Assault and Battery Allegations in McLean, Virginia

Arrests for sexual assault and battery are not always fair. Many of these arrests are based on little or no evidence except for the alleged victim's word. In recent years, there has been a massive cultural movement encouraging everyone to believe and support people who claim to have been sexually assaulted. While this can be very helpful for genuine survivors who may not have been believed in the past, it has also put people accused of these offenses at an often-undeserved disadvantage.

The law is never supposed to presume that a defendant is guilty before they have been convicted. However, when you have been charged with sexual assault, you may find that you are not being treated like you are presumed innocent. To protect your rights, you need a strong legal advocate on your side.

Noorishad Law, P.C. is highly experienced in defending people who have been accused of sex crimes. McLean, VA sexual assault and battery lawyer Kaveh Noorishad provides zealous representation to every client. He takes on a limited number of cases at a time so that each client gets the attention he or she deserves. Sexual assault cases can be extremely complicated, and they must be handled delicately. Attorney Noorishad has taken on many serious, high-profile sex crime cases. He will manage every aspect of your case with the utmost care.

What Is the Difference Between Rape and Sexual Battery?

The crime of rape specifically involves sexual intercourse that occurs without a person's consent. The definition of sexual battery includes the touching of any intimate body parts belonging to people of either sex without receiving consent. Unlike rape or object sexual penetration, sexual battery does not need to involve penetration. If penetration is involved, the accused would more likely be charged with rape.

Understanding Sexual Assault and Battery Charges

Sexual assault and battery cases are widely considered to be more serious than cases involving ordinary assault and battery. Although sexual battery may be charged as a misdemeanor when there are no aggravating factors present, if you are convicted, you may still be placed on the sex offender registry. You could be sentenced to up to a year of jail time.

Charges of aggravated sexual battery are more serious, and they may involve an alleged victim under the age of 13, the alleged use of a firearm or another dangerous weapon, or injuries to the alleged victim. In these cases, you could be charged with a felony, and if convicted, you could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison.

The crime of sexual battery involves the nonconsensual touching of intimate body parts. To convict you of a sexual battery, the state will need to prove:

• Intentional Touching: The state must prove that you either intentionally touched the alleged victim's intimate body parts, forced them to touch your intimate body parts, or forced them to touch a third party's intimate body parts. Proving that a touch occurred may be challenging if DNA or other forms of evidence were not collected promptly.
• Force, Threat of Force, or Intimidation: Unwanted sexual touching is only considered sexual battery if the accused used force, threatened to use force, or intimidated the victim. You could also face sexual assault and battery charges if the alleged victim was incapacitated and unable to consent to sexual touching.
• Sexual Motivation: The touching must have been sexually motivated in some way. The prosecution will need to show that the offense was committed to achieve sexual gratification.
• Lack of Consent: The touching must have happened against the alleged victim's will. This may be difficult to prove if you and the alleged victim were in a romantic relationship or if you were involved in certain sexual practices that involve consensual violence or restraint.

Being accused of sexual battery or any other sex crime can jeopardize your future. Sex offenders can face challenges like being barred from quality rental housing, being unable to find reasonable employment, and social isolation. By fighting back against accusations of sexual assault with the help of an experienced attorney, you can take steps to prevent these harsh outcomes. Our lawyer will work with you to develop effective defense strategies, such as demonstrating that there is a lack of evidence or questioning the motives behind the accusations. We will fight to secure an acquittal for you and prevent a conviction that could lead to a harsh prison sentence and/or sex offender registration.

Contact Our McLean, Virginia Sexual Assault and Battery Lawyer

Noorishad Law, P.C. is highly results-driven and client-focused. Experienced McLean sex crimes attorney Kaveh Noorishad has been recognized for his outstanding criminal defense work by prestigious organizations like Super Lawyers and the National Trial Lawyers. To get the legal representation you need when addressing accusations of sexual assault, contact our office at 703-542-4500 and set up your free consultation.