Santa Barbara Rape Lawyer

Facing a Rape Charge?

In California, crimes of rape are all classified as felony offenses. Rape is a very serious charge and if you are being investigated or have been charged with this offense, you have rights that need to be protected! It is imperative that you do not hesitate but get in contact with Lessem, Newstat & Tooson, LLP at your earliest opportunity.

An experienced and knowledgeable Santa Barbara rape defense attorney at our firm will meet with you, take the time to listen to your side, explain the strengths and weaknesses of your case, and honestly share your options with you.

How Does California Define Rape?

“Rape,” as defined by California Penal Code Section 261, is an act of non-consensual sexual intercourse accomplished under various circumstances. Rape falls into the category of “sex crimes,” a type of conviction that requires an aggressive attack by a defense attorney. With a conviction like rape, your future can be greatly affected in a negative way.

People often times think of rape being an act of physical force, but less obvious circumstances can result in a California rape conviction. They include situations such as having sex with someone who is passed out drunk or unable to consent to intercourse because they are asleep or mentally ill. A different situation could be a police officer offering to have sex with a civilian in exchange for letting them out of a traffic ticket, or a doctor tricking his patient into having sex with them.

Rape is only one kind of conviction under the broader term “sex crimes.” Other types of rape include spousal rape, statutory rape, oral copulation by force, or forcible penetration with a foreign object.

How We Defend Against Rape Charges

We are a dynamic and aggressive law firm with a comprehensive understanding of the legal system and a strong belief in the presumption of innocence. We understand that completely innocent people can be accused of rape-related crimes and are prepared to find the flaws in the prosecution’s case if there are any, and use their own tactics to your advantage.

Some of the challenges we can employ in rape cases include:

• False accusations, typically used in domestic violence , divorce, child custody or acrimonious break-up situations
• Insufficient evidence
• Consent
• Mistaken identity

Why Choose Lessem, Newstat & Tooson, LLP

With over 50 years of combined experience, our criminal defense lawyers have defended people against a wide variety of sex crimes including rape and the related crimes of statutory rape, spousal rape, date rape and oral copulation by force.

With over 200 jury trials in our background and two former public defender attorneys on staff, we are often successful in getting charges against our clients dropped or reduced; but failing that, we are more than ready to fight for your rights and your freedom in court. We are proud of our reputation in the communities of Montecito, Isla Vista, UCSB campus, Goleta, and Carpinteria for going above and beyond the call of duty to protect the rights of our clients and you can be sure that if we are retained in your case, we will leave no stone uncovered to help you achieve the best possible result in your case.

For fair treatment and an honest and thorough representation, please contact a Santa Barbara rape lawyer at Lessem, Newstat & Tooson, LLP.