Coral Gables Molestation and Lewd & Lascivious Battery Lawyers

Hey there! If you’re looking for information about Coral Gables molestation and lewd & lascivious battery lawyers, you’ve come to the right place. As a lawyer myself, I know how confusing and scary this area of law can be. My goal here is to break it down for you in simple terms so you have a good understanding of what these charges mean and what your options are if you or a loved one is facing accusations.

Understanding the Charges

Let’s start with the basics. Molestation and lewd & lascivious battery are both sex crimes in Florida involving inappropriate sexual contact with a minor. The legal definition of a “minor” is anyone under the age of 18. These types of allegations are obviously very serious and carry severe penalties if convicted, including lengthy prison time and registration as a sex offender.

Now, what’s the difference between molestation and lewd & lascivious battery? Good question. Molestation is when an adult intentionally touches a minor in a lewd or lascivious manner. This could be touching private parts, forcing a child to touch them, or even non-private parts in a sexual way. The key is that no penetration is involved – just inappropriate touching.

Lewd & lascivious battery kicks it up a notch because it does involve penetration of a minor’s private parts. This includes oral, anal, or vaginal penetration by either the perpetrator or by forcing the minor to penetrate themselves. It’s considered an extremely serious felony sex crime.

Building a Defense

So what are some possible defenses in cases like this? Well, a common one is to argue that the alleged touching never occurred or the accuser is lying or mistaken in some way. Consent is also used as a defense in cases involving teenagers. The accused may claim the sexual activity was consensual and the alleged “victim” lied about their age. Evidence like texts or photos could be used to support consent.

Another avenue is to file a motion to suppress any confessions or statements made to police if there are concerns about how they were obtained. Any evidence that was gathered illegally could also potentially be suppressed. Attacking sloppy police work or lack of probable cause is a good defense strategy.

Why Choose Gold & Witham

If you’re in the Coral Gables area and need a lawyer you can trust, I highly recommend reaching out to the law offices of Gold & Witham. Robert and Timothy are outstanding criminal defense attorneys with over 65 years of combined experience successfully defending these types of cases. Learn more about your defense options from this trusted team.