There is, perhaps, no scarier charge than for a sex offense. The social stigma of sex offenses (and the reporting requirements after a conviction) can making living nearly impossible. This is why it is extremely important to find the right attorney.
The consequences
You may face severe restrictions on where you can live, eliminating almost all rental properties, including public housing. Finding employment with a sex offense conviction is also nearly impossible as even those employers that are friendly to felons, will not employ people with sex offense conditions. Federal financial aid and other educational grants and scholarships are also not available to those with a sex offense, and the state and federal government will likely monitor you for the rest of your life.
Private attorneys
Because of the social stigma of sex offenses, may of those facing charges, even the innocent ones, believe that they are stuck with their public defender. They believe that a private attorney would not represent them, or if they would, it would be prohibitively expensive. However, neither is necessarily the case for you in Beaumont, Texas.
First, while it is true that not all criminal lawyers take sex offense case, some attorneys do. Second, while there is a cost associated with hiring a private attorney, it is often money well spent to have an attorney with the time and resources to litigate your case.
Why not just stay with the public defender?
Sometimes, the free nature of public defenders is an enticing draw to keep a public defender. However, depending on where you face charges, some states and local municipalities still charge you for public defender services post-conviction or dismissal.
Though, even in areas where this is not the case, public defenders represent the vast majority of cases. However, the number of public defenders has never (and likely, will never) be enough to represent the number of clients they are assigned. This means that they do their best, but they are woefully understaffed, underfunded and overworked.
This is why, if you can afford a Beaumont, Texas, private attorney, most justice system experts recommend it. After all, you want to make sure you have your best chance for an acquittal or pleading down to a charge that will not affect the rest of your life.
Choosing the right attorney
Unless you have a sex offender attorney referral from a friend or family member who had a great experience, chances are you will be searching online. You should look for an attorney with not just experience with sex offenses, but also your particular charges in the Beaumont, Texas, court you will be fighting those charges. Experience is important, but specialized, local experience is even more important.