What if you are in California and you are caught in the act of lewd conduct in public place? Or what if your friend is visiting California and wants to engage in the lewd act in a place which is in public’s view and you solicit him? You will be facing criminal charges capable of punishing you with a prison term and a monetary fine. Lewd conduct in public or in a place in public’s view where someone else can be offended by your conduct is illegal in California. However, many times, people are not knowledgeable about this law or they are not aware of the presence of any other person which can be offended by their action. As a result, they are charged with the offense of lewd conduct in public.
But, do not despair. You stand a chance of acquittal or reduced punishments if you have a convincing and aggressive defense to prove your innocence in the courtroom and we are here to do it for you. We are affordable criminal defense lawyers with an Avvo rating of 5 out of 5, and a team of a lawyer in our law firm has specialized skills to represent sex crimes and defend them in the court.
According to the penal code 647(a), any person who solicits another person or who engages in lewd or dissolute conduct at a public place or any place exposed to public’s view is guilty of disorderly behavior. The lewd act can be any act leading to arousal or sexual gratification of the person responsible for the conduct or of the person he is soliciting. To establish crime has been committed, the prosecutor must prove that i) The defendant engaged in or solicited someone in lewd conduct. ii) The defendant was at a public place or a place where someone else could be exposed to it. iii) The defendant willingly engaged in the act. iv) The other person(s) was reasonably distressed or offended by defendant’s lewd conduct. v) The defendant had knowledge of the presence of the other persons.
In most of the cases, the defendant is unaware of the presence of the other person or does not know that he or she is exposed to the public. Therefore, it is important to seek help right in the beginning of the case as it gives ample time to investigate reasons for arrest or suspicion. Using the defense law expertise, experience in the courtroom and sympathy for our clients, we provide the best possible defense representation in the court which results in favorable case outcomes.