Benton Harbor Sex Crimes Attorney

Our Benton Harbor sex crimes attorneys have extensive experience, and in particular, in defending clients who have been accused of sex-related offenses. These crimes may include sexual abuse, solicitation, statutory rape, child pornography, Internet sex crimes, and any CSC. In addition, At our Law Firm we have lots of experience in helping clients deal with legal problems related to sex crime issues involving Child Protective Services (CPS), sex crime appeals, sex offender registration, and false accusations.

When Should I Hire an Attorney if I am Accused of a Sex Crime?

People often do not realize how complex and traumatic a sex crime case may be. While people are somewhat familiar with the basic concepts of what may be involved in a particular crime, they often do not realize how becoming embroiled in a sex crime investigation can impact their lives. Until a case is resolved from an accusation all the way to a jury verdict or other disposition the accused can experience a tremendous upheaval in their lives from impacts on family relationships to impacts on employment. Ordinary citizens who are unfamiliar with law enforcement processes and court procedures are severely handicapped by not knowing what the prosecutors' goals are, and may find that, without the advice and help of a high quality lawyer, they can forfeit important rights or even their freedom.

Anyone accused of a crime needs to have a lawyer on their side who fully understands the justice system, so that they can get advice and make informed decisions about how they may be able to protect their own interests.

Benton Harbor CSC Attorneys Can Defend You From a Sexual Offense Charge

If you are implicated in a crime, even before you have been formally charged, you need to recognize that your freedom and future are at stake. It is critically important that you have a lawyer who will aggressively defend your interests, and who has extensive experience in handling your type of case. You cannot afford to wait until matters have escalated, especially if you have already lost time or you have unwittingly given up your rights. Remember: the prosecution is not interested in helping you in your situation, even if you are innocent of the charge or you have a valid defense. The prosecution's job is to get a conviction for a crime that has been committed.

Berrien County Courthouse Information for Those Accused of Sex Offenses

All criminal cases start in the Berrien County Unified Trial Court System. Unlike many counties where there is a separate district and circuit court, both felonies and misdemeanors are handled in the 2^nd Judicial Circuit Court Criminal Division. Both District and Circuit Courts are located in the same building, on the first floor of the Berrien County Courthouse at:

Berrien County Courthouse
811 Port Street
St. Joseph, Michigan 49085

Additional Berrien County criminal matters may be heard in Niles, Michigan at:

South County Building
1205 N. Front Street
Niles, Michigan 49102

Benton Harbor, in Berrien County Michigan, is a small town of just over 10,000 residents, but suffers from a crime rate that is considerably higher than the national average. While overall crime rates in Benton Harbor have fallen somewhat in the last few years, they are still high, and Benton Harbor continues to have an unusually high number of residents who are registered under Michigan's Sex Offender Registration Act (SORA). Of the city's 10,000 residents, 221 are registered sex offenders, which makes the ratio of residents to sex offenders about 49 to one.

Grabel & Associates Offers You a Free Consultation To Explain Your Rights

The professional defense lawyers at Grabel & Associates understand exactly what is involved in sexual crimes cases because we have extensive experience in handling them. We will give your case the attention it deserves, and our dedicated team of investigators and specialists will employ their experience to one end: trying to get charges dismissed or dropped, and to help you avoid jail.

Hiring an experienced, dedicated attorney that can competently represent your interests is the only way you can be sure that prosecutors and law enforcement will be forced to prove their case by hard evidence. Hiring an aggressive attorney to defend you is the only way you can level the playing field with law enforcement personnel who have the government's resources on its side. If you have been accused of a sex crime in Benton Harbor, Michigan, or anywhere else in Berrien County, contact the sex crime defense lawyers at Grabel & Associates. We are available 24 hours a day and seven days a week, and we are prepared to consult with you right away on your case.