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Sexual Assault | Rape

Sex crimes is a broad categorial term defining those offenses which involve intimate contact with the victim by the defendant, pornography, offenses involving solicitation for sex or computers, felony sexual assault (sometimes referred to as rape), habitual criminality, possession of child pornography, serious child sex offender, sexual exploitation by a therapist, and sexual exploitation of a child.

Any sex crime is a very serious charge, with long-term life-affecting consequences, which include jail and prison sentences, embarrassment, and fines (See also Serious Sex Crimes). Even after a sentence is served and probation terminated, the ongoing effects can be devastating to one's family, career, and financial security. When Wisconsin enacted the Sex Offender Registration and Community Notification Law in 1997, all people convicted of certain sex crimes were required to register with authorities. The Sex Offender Registry, like the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access System (CCAP), is open to the general public, the police authorities and potential employers.

Most sex crimes are felony offenses, which carry minimum and mandatory prison terms. Some sex crimes are charged as misdemeanors, which may result in a much less consequence of probation. Whether a felony, or a misdemeanor, all charges for any sex crime are sought by the prosecuting attorney. If contacted early enough during the investigation, Van Wagner & Wood may be able to negate forthcoming charges or achieve a reduction in the charges being sought by the prosecutor.

Sex Crime Defenses

Crimes against another person require certain elements be proven in a court of law. Prosecutors must prove that the crime was committed, that the accused committed the crime, and that consent was not given, except when the crime involves a child, who cannot under the law give consent to have sexual relations with another child or an adult.

Misunderstandings between two people occur every day in life. When one is charged with a sex crime, a misunderstanding may have occurred and the accused may have believed relations to be consensual. Learning after the fact that the other party did not intend to give his or her consent can quickly change a family's happiness and a person's career. Miscommunications, such as these, must be immediately cleared before they become life-changing acts of passion. Van Wagner & Wood's attorneys are very sensitive to every critical stage of a criminal case; employing their skills to remedy a misunderstanding may be the single most important career and family decision one makes.

Being identified mistakenly as the perpetrator of a sex crime may be easily disproved by a verified alibi, but rarely do people walk through life conscious of the need for a witness to every minute of their personal time. Unfortunately, mistakes happen, even in eyewitness testimony. Van Wagner & Wood has defended numerous cases where a positive identification was successfully challenged and the outcome was a dismissal of all criminal charges.

Society as a whole has become sensitive to even the slightest hint of a sex crime, particularly where a child is involved. In some cases, charges are brought for a crime that never ever occurred. In these instances, it is imperative to consult with Van Wagner & Wood as soon as possible; the sooner your lawyer is able to become involved, the better the chances are to prevent the very devastating consequences.

If you are under investigation for a crime or drunk driving offense, if you have already been charged with a crime or drunk driving violation, or if you have already been convicted but believe your conviction or your sentence were wrong, please call (608-284-1200) or contact the attorneys at Van Wagner & Wood via e-mail right away. The criminal defense attorneys at Van Wagner & Wood will give you a free brief but professional "first-impression" analysis of your case and your situation, which will allow you to take an important first step in defending the case against you.

Van Wagner & Wood can help.

Contact Van Wagner & Wood.

Van Wagner & Wood, S.C.
608-284-1200

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Offices of Van Wagner & Wood

Van Wagner & Wood's office is located at Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. and Doty Street. 10 East Doty is located on the outside of the first circle surrounding the capitol building. You can park under the building by entering the parking lot from Doty Street. If you park under 10 East Doty, the offices of Van Wagner & Wood will validate your parking ticket so that you do not have to pay to park. If the parking ramp is full, there are numerous parking places surrounding 10 East Doty, as well as a public parking ramp on State street.

Appeals & Serious Crimes - Homicide - Murder

Van Wagner & Wood's criminal defense lawyers handle appeals to both the Appellate Court and the Supreme Court, as well as both state and Federal court systems for people convicted of a crime who believe their conviction or sentence were wrong. Most often, the appeals that they handle are to federal court because very few attorneys handle these types of appeals; Attorney Chris Van Wagner was a US Attorney in Wisconsin before entering private practice. Often times, people from across the United States hire Attorney Van Wagner for a Federal or a state appeal for serious crimes including homicide, RICO (Racketeering), felony murder, negligent homicide, vehicular homicide, or sexual assault. Attorney Tracey Wood handles appeals to Wisconsin State Court of Appeals and Wisconsin Supreme Court for charges or convictions stemming from a Wisconsin trial.

Federal Crimes

Drug Crimes

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Drunk Driving (OWI, DUI, DWI)

Sexual Assault & Sex Crimes