Dallas Public Lewdness Defense Attorneys

The penalties that may be handed down with a conviction on charges of public lewdness can be life-changing. That being said, prosecutors in Dallas take these charges seriously and are likely to aggressively pursue the harshest possible consequences that are available against anyone they believe to have committed the offense.

At the Law Offices of Mark T. Lassiter, our Dallas public lewdness attorneys understand just how much will depend upon the outcome of this claim, and it is with that in mind that we will develop a comprehensive legal strategy to help you defend your rights and protect your future throughout the coming legal process.

If you have been accused of public lewdness, contact the experienced defense lawyers at Law Offices of Mark T. Lassiter right away to schedule your free case evaluation. Contact us today at (214) 845-7007 or online.

Do I Need a Public Lewdness Defense Lawyer?

Something that starts as a prank or a spontaneous romantic act can end in serious penalties when public lewdness is involved. Whether you have been falsely accused or made an innocent mistake, public lewdness charges can carry significant fines and prison time that can haunt you for the rest of your life.

Any sex crime conviction has the potential to have far-reaching effects on your job, relationships, and other personal interactions. With a serious charge, working with an experienced defense attorney who can help protect your legal rights is vital.

A public lewdness defense attorney can help you by gathering evidence to help fight against the charge. To be convicted of a public lewdness charge, the prosecutor must prove that you knowingly participated in a sexual act in public or were reckless about engaging in sexual activity where someone else might be offended or alarmed.

Under the law, “public” most often includes public places like restaurants, parks, alleys, common areas in apartment complexes, and stores. In some cases, people might be accused of public lewdness after an undercover officer patrols a public area that they perceive as questionable. For example, an undercover police officer posing as a patron at a gentleman’s club might accuse a dancer at the club of public lewdness.

Additionally, depending on the circumstances, the prosecutor might claim that sexual acts in private locations, such as a car, home, office, bathroom, or hotel, could be deemed public if the sexual activity was visible to the public.

If you were charged with public lewdness after engaging in a sexual act in private, your best defense is to work with an experienced defense lawyer. They can gather evidence to help you prove that you did not intend for the public to be able to view your sexual activities or took reasonable precautions to try to ensure you were in private. For example, an attorney could make the case that you were not reckless if you engaged in a sex act in your own yard and behind a privacy fence, but someone climbed the fence to view your activities.

Another way a skilled public lewdness defense lawyer can help you is to make sure you know what to expect when speaking to law enforcement and in court. This advice is critical in helping you avoid being misunderstood or even mistakenly incriminating yourself.

They can also help you understand your legal options and help you choose the best route for your situation. This might sometimes involve helping you negotiate a favorable plea deal. In other cases, this could involve vigorously fighting for you in court to have the charge dismissed and expunged from the record.

In any circumstance, a skilled attorney will do all they can to get the best outcome for your case, limit negative impacts on your future prospects, and protect your legal rights.

Why Should I Choose Law Offices of Mark T. Lassiter to Handle My Case?

When you’re facing an accusation as tough as public lewdness, you need a tough lawyer on your side. At Law Offices of Mark T. Lassiter, our hard-hitting public lewdness defense attorneys have helped clients just like you across Dallas and surrounding areas fight against serious sex crime charges and stand up for their legal rights. As our case results and glowing testimonials from past clients demonstrate, we have a proven track record of success in tackling even the most difficult cases.

If you are dealing with a public lewdness charge, you might feel hopeless and like it’s useless even to try fighting against this accusation. However, you have a right to defend yourself. With Law Offices of Mark T. Lassiter, you don’t have to fear being judged or criticized for the charges you’re facing. You can be sure that we have your best interest in mind. Our trusted criminal defense team treats each client with dignity, personal attention, and respect while also providing you with top-quality legal services.

If you or someone you love has been charged with public lewdness, contact Law Offices of Mark T. Lassiter immediately. Our skilled and understanding legal team will do all we can to fight for your legal rights and future prospects. Call us today at (214) 845-7007 or online to set up a free case evaluation and get your life back on track.

What Types of Cases Does Law Offices of Mark T. Lassiter Handle?

Dallas Public Lewdness Defense Attorneys At Law Offices of Mark T. Lassiter, we help clients stand up for their legal rights in a variety of public lewdness cases. This includes cases where the alleged act took place in public, those where defendants thought they were in private, and instances where the accused people claim that no illegal activity occurred.

In addition to defending clients against public lewdness charges, our knowledgeable defense team also has a depth of experience helping clients successfully fight a wide range of sex crime accusations, such as:

Difference Between Public Lewdness and Indecent Exposure

People often confuse the charges of public lewdness with those of indecent exposure. While public lewdness and indecent exposure are similar, the acts have distinct differences under Texas law. The law defines public lewdness as a sexual act, including sexual contact, sexual intercourse, or bestiality, which someone knowingly engages in while they are in public or in the presence of an unwilling viewer. This charge might also cover any “deviate sexual act” in public, such as oral or anal sex.

On the other hand, indecent exposure involves a person exposing their genitals or anus with the intent to gratify or arouse someone. Indecent exposure is typically a lesser charge under Texas law than public lewdness, with lower possible penalties.

Am I Required to Register as a Sex Offender If I’m Convicted of Public Lewdness?

Under Texas law, a person who is convicted of public lewdness does not usually have to register as a sex offender. However, there are exceptions to this rule. For example, if the public lewdness involved anyone under 17 years old, then the convicted person will likely have to register as a sex offender. Additionally, suppose you have been convicted of public lewdness multiple times. In that case, you might have to register as a sex offender, even if every one of the sex acts involved consenting adults.

Potential Consequences of a Public Lewdness Conviction

Our legal team possesses the experience and resources you will need to defend your rights and protect your future in and out of the courts. Under state law, public lewdness is considered to be a Class A misdemeanor, and it may potentially be punished with the following sentencing:

Up to 1 year in prison
Up to $4,000 in court-ordered fines
Registration as a sex offender

Though your charges are serious, you must remember that you will still have the opportunity to work with an attorney to defend yourself and help prevent a conviction from ever being secured against you.

Public Lewdness in Texas

A person commits an offense if he knowingly engages in any of the following acts in a public place or, if not in a public place, he is reckless about whether another is present who will be offended or alarmed by his:

act of sexual intercourse;
act of deviate sexual intercourse;
act of sexual contact; or
act involving contact between the person’s mouth or genitals and the anus or genitals of an animal or fowl

An offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor.

Acts 1973, 63rd Leg., p. 883, ch. 399, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1974. Amended by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 900, Sec. 1.01, eff. Sept. 1, 1994.

Consult with a Public Lewdness Attorney in Dallas

If you have been charged with public lewdness, you need to retain legal representation as soon as you are able. To speak with a Dallas public lewdness attorney from the Law Offices of Mark T. Lassiter about what you can do to defend your rights and protect your future, please call our offices at (214) 845-7007 today.

TESTIMONIALS

Recommendation for Mark LassiterI am pleased to write a letter of recommendation. I highly recommend Mark Lassiter to others who are seeking such assistance. His representation allowed me to do very little in my case. It was Mark’s proven expertise and his legal knowledge that was valuable in getting my case dismissed. In short, I recommend Mark enthusiastically without reservation and I do believe he would be a valuable asset to you.

- Name Redacted

dear Markplease accept this letter on my and Susan’s behalf. there is a powerful message and testimony we would like to share with you for the first time.for over a year the weight of what happened to Reid was heavy on our souls. at first we held great anger, resentment and disgust toward Angel (the passenger). it became evident after turning 21 the Angel has a severe alcohol problem which my son nor us fully understood. The arrest also brought us great disappointment, frustration and disheartenment toward Reid.We have found that God often surprises us with his answers to our prayers. Prior to the arrest was had been in prayer that God help turn Reid away from selfishness, childishness and destructive ways. We prayed that God move to change him toward everlasting values and better choices in his life. We believe that God answered that prayer with the arrest. We blamed ourselves for bringing this calamity but understood it would take something this powerful to reach him. There is no doubt in our minds this ordeal has placed a permanent imprint on his soul.during the many delays associated with this case we were able to put forgiveness in our hearts toward Angel. Also during the many delays the full weight of the case in our and Reid’s mind triggered conversations pertaining to life decisions and direction. Time allowed us the opportunity to be rid of the noise and cloudiness of our emotions. We believe this to be a part of the master plan that God was overseeing.Only today did the full story become revealed. During this case with all the odds against us can we say without question that God was in it. How else could the series of events occurred within the judicial process that could put the opportunity in to your mind that there was a way to victory. The entire morning Susan and i were in fervent prayer even after your told us we had only a 25% chance of winning.Grace is the receipt of a blessing that is undeserved. Reid did not deserve to win today. We all are eternally marked by the message of grace given to us and you were the instrument that brought the gift to our house. Thank you from bottom of our souls and may God bless and keep you all of your days.

- Name Redacted

Dear Mr. Lassiter,Today you saved my son’s life. When he received a DWI, it broke my heart because I knew it would be on his record forever. It would limit his options in life. He would be paying for his stupid mistake for the rest of his life. At 21 years of age he was overwhelmed with the depth of the problem he created for himself.I decided to find him the best lawyer in Dallas, and I did. I researched lawyers for two days, and then I found you. I knew from the moment I read about you that you were the one we needed. When I met you, I knew instantly that I had complete confidence in you. Even if the result had ended with my son being guilty, I would have had peace knowing that he had had THE BEST lawyer.Listening to you “own” the courtroom today was amazing. You told us in the morning that we only had about 25% chance to win; however, by the middle of the afternoon the case was over before the prosecutors even finished, and we won! What an incredible lawyer you are!I will be grateful forever to you. Your work has given my son a second chance. He left the courtroom today with a whole new perspective on life…thanks to you!Very sincerely,

- Susan Ellis

unless you are already a petty criminal with countless B and C misdemeanors and a misdemeanor A pending, a DWI charge might not really matter much – for all the others counts: Fight it with all you got – get the best professional to your side you can find!Why should you? A simple google search “Texas DWI penalties” will give you an idea what you are looking at: prison, probation, fines, classes, ignition interlock, insurance rate skyrockets and a criminal record for life (yes – this can happen even for a first time DWI in Texas) Now if you read until this point you probably are charged with a DWI (or simply board) and you are shopping for a lawyer – so some basic guidance:a) Same as in real life: You want to be surrounded by people who know what they are talking about. Nobody likes people who constantly brag around, through around the usual business buzz words which doesn’t mean anything. So: Get somebody who is specialized in this field, means if 50% or more of his work is in the field of defending DWI’s that’s probably a good indicator– Mark is one of them – talk to him you will see!b) Educate yourself – thanks to a wonderful innovation by DARPA (which you are using in this moment) you can read all about it: What happened the night before, what’s a SFT, what is a legal stop, how does an Intoxilyzer 5000 work and what flaws does it have, possible plea bargain options (not so tempting ones in TX anyway) – read the stuff, it’s out there and discuss it with your attorney – if he doesn’t want or can’t answer your questions, that’s a pretty good indicator that your sitting in the wrong office, run!– Mark WILL answer your questions – and I’m convinced you cannot surprise him with a question in your case that he can’t answer or will find an answer for you!c) Your lawyer should – more or less – from the beginning be willing to take your case to Trial, all the way. What do you have to lose? If you are a BAC 0.28 candidate and you plea it down to a misdemeanor B it technically looks better on paper – but it will still follow you for life (most employers wouldn’t even consider the difference or know it – a DWI is a DWI…) If you are a BAC 0.09 candidate your chances are even better – (did you know the Intoxilyzer 5000 gives himself a +-0.02 calibration margin? What now, is a BAC 0.09 and hour after driving now under the legal limit? Guess what, the state will state “off course NOT! The magic machine proved he’s Intoxicated and guilty!” That’s why you need a lawyer on your side who is willing to take it to trial!– Mark is a trial lawyer – those people don’t want to plea out, they need the courtroom as their stage, that’s what they love to do, that’s what they are good at – so let him do it for you!d) Money / Costs – completely neglect. This is not the time for price comparison. You are not out there to shop for new hardwood floor for your living room – you are out there to get the best possible outcome in a situation which initial will hurt you if convicted pretty bad (financially), possible cost you your job, destroy your reputation and will follow you around for the rest of your natural life.– Mark will not overcharge you for his service, in my opinion you are getting a great deal. If you have the feeling you cannot afford a lawyer like Mark put it into perspective: if you hire a $500 lawyer and plead guilty maybe to a DWI misdemeanor B, you will pay much more over the years in court costs, classes, probation fees, DPS surcharges, insurance and and and… But if you hire Mark, you have one of the best at your side, you have a real chance – off course Mark isn’t a magic wizard who can make everything go away in a moment’s notice, but 5,10,20 years down the road you don’t want to think “oh boy, I wish I would have fought this thing more aggressively back then…” I was already a bit into my case when I met Mark. Mark has a can do attitude, does not try to beat around the bush and most importantly: He looks at things, tries different avenues, seeks out weaknesses in the case base on the evidence presented – if you meet him, you will have the same experience. During our meetings we discussed alternatives and other options e.g. expert witnesses, jury trial, bench trial, plea agreement (even if he didn’t like that – Mark doesn’t want to plea, he wants to win for his clients)And here is the outcome:A clear acquittal – NOT GUILTY(even better than a dismissal which technically can be reopened by the DA within the statute of limitations – if I understood that right – Not guilty means you are not guilty, case expunged – that’s the end of it!)Mark’s services helped me to get the best possible outcome you can expect when you are charged with a (DWI / DUI) crime and I hope I will never see him again….. (under such circumstances J ) –

- Daniel

I would never use or recommend anyone else for anybody else for a criminal manner.

- Cory M.

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Public Lewdness Defense Lawyers