A 2007 Florida law known as the Romeo & Juliet Law allows certain convicted Florida sex offenders to be removed from the Florida sex offenders’ registry. You may benefit from the help of a Miami criminal defense lawyer during your petition, as there are very specific criteria to meet to be granted help with the Romeo & Juliet law.
Your petition for removal from the Florida sex offenders’ registry under the Romeo & Juliet law requires you to meet certain eligibility requirements.
To be considered you must have:
- engaged in a consensual sexual encounter with a 14- to 17-year-old minor;
- been no more than 4 years older than the minor at the time of the encounter;
- been subsequently convicted of sexual battery or a lewd or lascivious offense;
- been required to register as a sex offender because of the conviction; and
- not had any other convictions similar to the current conviction.
The same eligibility applies to Florida sex offenders convicted after 2007 of a lewd or lascivious offense, sexual battery, or lewd or lascivious exhibition using a computer.
The Romeo & Juliet law is not effective in all cases, especially if the charges that resulted in you being listed in the Florida sex offenders’ registry were among others of a violent nature. A Miami criminal defense attorney can review the charges listed on your criminal record and determine your eligibility under the Romeo & Juliet law to best prepare your case for trial.
Ultimately, it is the decision of the judge whether your name should be removed from the Florida sex offenders’ registry or not. Your chances at removal are always improved by keeping your criminal record clean following your initial conviction. In the event you are arrested on criminal sex offender charges, a Miami criminal defense lawyer can do their best to help you fight the charges against you in an attempt to avoid being labeled a sex offender.
Contacting a Miami Criminal Defense Lawyer
Florida criminal defense cases are taken very seriously. Don’t leave your future solely in the hands of the court. The Miami criminal defense attorneys at Falk & Ross Law Firm know the importance of a solid defense in your case and we will fight for your rights every step of the way. Contact us today – 1-877-663-5110.