Ideally college would be a place where students concentrated solely on learning, but in reality it’s often a place where kids take the opportunity to party. College parties almost always include alcohol, and when two students end up having sex after they’ve been drinking, there’s always the chance that there could be regrets that lead to life-long consequences for one or both of them.

These encounters can leave a lot of questions unanswered. Did both parties consent? How much do either or both of them really remember? Were there any witnesses that can confirm what happened? Are those witnesses reliable? And who should take care of any investigation into sexual assault – the school or the police? These are tough questions and if you’re facing them, then you need to contact Law Office of Michael L. Fell right away.

The issue is likely covered under Title IX

Any type of sexual harassment, sexual violence, or discrimination based on sex are covered under California’s Title IX. This law is intended to help protect students from sexual crimes. It states that if a school is aware of any type of sexual assault that happened on campus, then they must investigate the situation.

Rape laws in California

Title IX is all about school disciplinary committees, but in most all accusations of sexual assault or sexual violence, the local police will also get involved. There are a number of factors that affect rape laws in California. In fact, there are three main types of rape case: Date rape, which is non-consensual activity with someone you know, spousal rape, when a spouse penetrates the other without consent, and statutory rape, which occurs if a person who is above 18 years of age has sex with someone who is under 18.

There are always options

No matter what you’re facing, you should know that there are always defense options. For example, if you’re charged with statutory rape, the first thing Law Office of Michael L. Fell will look at is how much the age difference is. If it’s three years or less, then we can work to have the crime reduced to a misdemeanor instead of a felony – which means a significantly more lenient sentence that include nothing more than community service.

In the event that there is a preponderance of evidence against you, we can still fight on your behalf. We may be able to work with the prosecutor to have the charges greatly reduced or to find a creative sentence that won’t mean the end of your career at your university.

Don’t let one night ruin your life

No matter what the accusations are, you deserve a criminal defense attorney who is experienced and who will fight for your rights. That’s exactly what you can expect from Attorney Fell. Call our offices today at (949) 585-9055 for your free case evaluation. We can let you know what your options are and how you can move forward toward the best possible resolution.