If you have been accused of sexual assault, you don’t want to approach this case alone. Although you can do a lot of things on your own to build your defense, having an attorney from a reputable Rochester MN law office on your side can be quite helpful to your case. You want to be represented by someone who has knowledge of the legal system and has successfully defended others who faced the same charges as you before.  Keep in mind that even if you are not guilty of the charges brought against you, you cannot be sure a judge will dismiss your sexual assault charge. By consulting an attorney, you can be on the right track to building a solid defense.

How You Can Build Your Defense

To fight a sexual assault accusation, you and your lawyer should determine how to best defend your situation. Here are defenses your attorney can raise:

• Giving a solid alibi. When you claim your innocence, you must give a solid alibi such as records and witnesses. Anything such as receipts, records, transportation tickets, and movie tickets can help provide a timestamp and a location on where you were when the sexual assault incident took place. Also, your attorney will find witnesses who can confirm your alibi by saying they saw you elsewhere when the assault happened. 
• Showing that you are misidentified. Sometimes, a sexual assault can happen between strangers. In this situation, the assault victim could misidentify their assaulter. If you are in this case, your lawyer can establish a defense to show that your accuser misidentified you. DNA samples will help prove this claim.
• Insisting the victim gave consent. Proving that your accuser gave their consent can be hard. You will usually need a timestamped audio or video recording that shows the victim gave such consent. But, the situation can get worse if your accuser is a minor since the court won’t consider them at the age of consent. A skilled lawyer will take into account all the facts to support your case. 

Where to Begin

A sexual assault accusation can be quite devastating. It can tarnish your reputation which may affect you for the rest of your life. But, consulting a reliable criminal defense attorney can help your case. To discuss questions that involve common defense strategies to a sexual assault accusation, get in touch with a respected lawyer as soon as possible.