Sexual Assault Attorney

“Don’t hire your pediatrician to handle your brain surgery.”

Short of homicide, sexual assault charges carry the highest penalties and the greatest community stigma. The most serious sexual assault crimes can cost defendants decades of their lives—if not the rest of them. Along with high stakes, sexual assault defense is complex. Often, the allegations are months or years old. Complainants disclose allegations to a friend or counselor. Police conduct an investigation. Lives turn upside down in a moment’s time.

If you or someone you know has been accused of a sexual assault, you need a defense attorney who is aggressive, experienced, and successful. You don’t hire your family doctor to handle your brain surgery. These cases are serious, complex, and high-stakes. At Racine Defense, I am prepared to stand by you as your sexual assault attorney. My representation can make all the difference. Here’s why:

1. I challenge sex offender registration requirements.

The stigma of a sexual assault conviction extends far beyond the conviction itself. A person convicted of sexual assault may face mandatory or discretionary sex offender registration. Many communities also have restrictive local ordinances that apply to registrants. If a person required to register moves to another state, they may face additional restrictions and registration obligations.

I previously served on the City of Racine Sex Offender Exemption Review Board, which reviewed applications from individuals seeking permission to live in restricted areas of Racine. That experience helps me confront this stigma head-on and argue effectively against unnecessary sex offender registration.

2. I challenge sex offender treatment and supervision rules, including polygraphs and other burdensome monitoring.

If a client is convicted of sexual assault, the court may order probation or extended supervision. In today’s world, sex offender supervision can be nearly impossible to complete, given how much of daily life requires internet access. Supervision rules may prohibit cellphone use, computer use, certain music or movies, contact with minors, and other restrictive and often unnecessary conditions.

I have successfully battled the Department of Corrections in numerous cases where it attempted to revoke probation or impose unreasonable supervision rules. In many cases, however, the better approach is hiring me before a conviction occurs. I can negotiate or litigate supervision rules before the DOC ever meets with a client. I can argue that probation or supervision is unnecessary and recommend preemptive treatment and assessments that persuade the court to impose a fine or alternative sentence instead.

3. I challenge the credibility and admissibility of sexual assault evidence through aggressive investigation and litigation.

In no other type of criminal case does evidence have a greater impact at trial.

I obtain and review video-recorded interviews of witnesses—often children—that prosecutors present as the gold standard of evidence. Research and expert testimony frequently show the opposite. By the time a witness participates in a so-called “forensic interview,” they may have already spoken to parents, loved ones, counselors, or law enforcement officers multiple times. Those conversations can contaminate the reliability of the interview, even when conducted by trained professionals. I carefully evaluate whether proper forensic interviewing techniques were used to ensure fairness and accuracy.

I also obtain and challenge DNA evidence collected by law enforcement. I have successfully defended sexual assault cases by closely reviewing State Crime Lab reports and identifying inconsistencies between laboratory findings and the complainant’s version of events—sometimes fundamentally altering the trajectory of the case.

I investigate prior false allegations and, when legally permissible, a complainant’s background. Beyond standard discovery, I thoroughly examine all available information, which may include prior allegations, treatment records, juvenile records, criminal histories, or claims involving similar conduct.

In a notable 2015 case, I successfully demonstrated that a complainant lied about the number of sexual partners she had in the days leading up to the alleged assault. That argument arose from a detailed comparison of crime lab reports and sexual assault examination records. Although Wisconsin law strongly protects complainants from attacks on sexual character, I was able to show that questioning the complainant about lying to the examination nurse was directly relevant to her credibility. In sexual assault defense, details matter more than anywhere else.

I also litigate access to complainants’ treatment and counseling records when appropriate. In one of my most significant cases, I spent years litigating and appealing a matter in which a complainant refused to release treatment records in a repeated sexual assault of a child case. Ultimately, the court ruled that the complainant could not testify, allowing my client to avoid prison and felony convictions.

4. I stand by your side at trial—prepared to defend your life and liberty.

Over the past 10+ years, I have seen few cases proceed to jury trial as frequently as sexual assault cases. I have defended these charges before juries, cross-examining young children, adult complainants, police officers, SANE nurses, and crime lab analysts. I have challenged the assumption of “why would the victim lie?” and exposed memories distorted by time—sometimes years after the alleged events. I work relentlessly to secure not-guilty verdicts and protect my clients’ futures.