Sexual Assault & Rape Defense Attorney in Cincinnati, OH

Understanding Ohio Sexual Assault and Rape Laws

Ohio law defines various sex crimes with different elements and penalties. Understanding the specific charges you face is the first step in building an effective defense. The most serious sexual offenses in Ohio fall into several categories, each with distinct legal definitions and requirements that prosecutors must prove beyond reasonable doubt.

Rape - Ohio Revised Code Section 2907.02

Under Ohio law, rape occurs when sexual conduct takes place under specific prohibited circumstances. The statute prohibits sexual conduct with another person when force or threat of force is used, the other person's ability to resist or consent is substantially impaired due to drugs, alcohol, or mental/physical condition, or the other person is under 13 years old regardless of whether the offender knows the person's age.

Rape is typically charged as a first-degree felony carrying 3 to 11 years in prison, though sentences can extend to life imprisonment for rape of a child under 10 or rape involving serious physical harm. The prosecution must prove sexual conduct occurred and that one of the statutory circumstances existed. Consent is not a defense when the alleged victim is under 13, but consent is the central issue in adult cases where force or incapacity is alleged.

Sexual Battery - Ohio Revised Code Section 2907.03

Sexual battery prohibits sexual conduct when the offender coerces the other person, knows the other person's ability to appraise the nature of or control their conduct is substantially impaired, the offender is a teacher/administrator and the victim is a student, the offender is in a position of authority, or various other circumstances involving abuse of authority or custodial relationships exist.

Sexual battery is generally a third-degree felony carrying 9 to 36 months imprisonment, though it can be elevated to second-degree felony in cases involving minors or positions of authority. Sexual battery charges often arise from relationships where power imbalances exist - teachers and students, coaches and athletes, healthcare providers and patients, corrections officers and inmates. The focus is typically on the relationship and circumstances rather than force or violence.

Unlawful Sexual Conduct with a Minor

Ohio strictly prohibits sexual conduct between adults and minors under age 18, with penalties varying based on the age difference between parties. When the offender is less than four years older than a minor who is 13 or older, charges are typically fourth-degree felonies. When age differences are greater or victims are younger, charges escalate to more serious felonies with substantially longer prison terms.

These charges often involve relationships that both parties believed were consensual - high school relationships where one party turned 18, dating situations involving college students and high school students, or situations where the defendant was unaware of the alleged victim's true age. However, Ohio law does not recognize consent as a defense when victims are below the age of consent, and mistake of age is rarely a successful defense.

Gross Sexual Imposition

This offense involves sexual contact (as opposed to sexual conduct) with another person under similar prohibited circumstances as rape and sexual battery. Gross sexual imposition is generally a fourth-degree felony but can be elevated based on circumstances. These charges often arise from allegations of unwanted touching, groping, or other contact that doesn't rise to the level of rape or sexual battery but still involves non-consensual sexual contact.

Degrees of Charges and Potential Penalties

Sexual assault and rape charges in Ohio carry some of the harshest penalties in criminal law, with consequences extending far beyond prison sentences. Understanding what you face helps you appreciate why immediate, aggressive legal defense is absolutely essential.

Prison Sentences for Sex Crime Convictions

Ohio imposes severe mandatory prison terms for most sexual assault convictions. First-degree felony rape carries 3 to 11 years with possible life sentences in cases involving children under 10 or serious physical harm. Second-degree felony sexual offenses carry 2 to 8 years imprisonment. Third-degree felony sexual battery carries 9 to 36 months incarceration. Fourth-degree felonies carry 6 to 18 months in prison. Fifth-degree felonies can result in 6 to 12 months jail time.

However, these base sentences represent only starting points. Ohio law mandates enhanced sentences for repeat offenders, crimes involving victims under certain ages, use of force or weapons, or other aggravating circumstances. Judges have broad discretion to impose sentences at the high end of statutory ranges, and consecutive sentences for multiple counts can result in decades of incarceration. Additionally, Ohio has enacted sexually violent predator designations that can result in indefinite, potentially lifetime incarceration for the most serious offenders.

Sex Offender Registration Requirements

Beyond prison time, sex offender registration often proves the most devastating consequence of sexual assault convictions. Ohio's Sex Offender Registration and Notification (SORN) law requires registration for most sex crime convictions, with requirements varying based on tier classification. We'll discuss registration requirements in detail in a dedicated section below, but registration typically includes mandatory address registration and verification, employment and education reporting, restrictions on where you can live and work, GPS monitoring for many offenders, and public online registry listings with your photo and personal information accessible to anyone.

Sex offender registration creates lifetime consequences that extend long after prison release, often proving more punishing than incarceration itself. The public stigma, employment barriers, housing restrictions, and constant supervision make rebuilding life nearly impossible for many registered offenders. This is why fighting to avoid registration-requiring convictions is often even more important than minimizing prison time.

Collateral Consequences Beyond Criminal Penalties

Sexual assault convictions create cascading collateral consequences that devastate every aspect of life. Professional licenses - medical, legal, teaching, nursing, social work - are typically revoked permanently. Employment becomes nearly impossible as most employers refuse to hire sex offenders. Housing discrimination is legal against sex offenders, and residence restrictions near schools and parks eliminate most housing options. Family courts consider sex offense convictions heavily in custody and visitation cases, often resulting in supervised or prohibited contact with your own children.

Immigration consequences for non-citizens include mandatory deportation for most sex crimes, permanent inadmissibility to the United States, and inability to obtain citizenship. Firearm rights are permanently revoked. College admission and financial aid become unavailable. International travel is severely restricted as many countries deny entry to sex offenders. Civil lawsuits from accusers seeking damages commonly follow criminal convictions. The social stigma alone often destroys marriages, family relationships, and community ties.

These collateral consequences demonstrate why sexual assault charges must be fought aggressively from the moment allegations arise. Even cases that seem difficult can sometimes be defended successfully, and the difference between conviction and acquittal literally determines whether you can rebuild your life or face permanent destruction of your future opportunities. 

What Happens After an Accusation or Arrest

Sexual assault investigations and prosecutions follow a specific process that begins long before formal charges are filed. Understanding this process helps you protect your rights at every stage and avoid common mistakes that damage your defense.

Initial Investigation Phase

Most sexual assault cases begin when alleged victims report to police or medical facilities. Law enforcement initiates investigations that typically include detailed interviews with the accuser, medical examinations and evidence collection through rape kit procedures, witness interviews, forensic evidence analysis including DNA testing, examination of electronic communications, and suspect interviews. This investigation phase is extremely dangerous because anything you say to police can and will be used against you.

Many people mistakenly believe that speaking to police and explaining their side will resolve the situation. This is almost never true. Police are gathering evidence to prosecute you, not to clear you. They use sophisticated interview techniques designed to obtain incriminating statements, even from innocent people. Never speak to police, detectives, or investigators without an attorney present, no matter how convinced you are that you can explain the situation. Exercise your right to remain silent and immediately contact an experienced sexual assault defense attorney.

Arrest and Charging

If police believe sufficient evidence exists, they obtain arrest warrants. Sexual assault arrests are particularly traumatic, often occurring at your home or workplace with maximum publicity and humiliation. After arrest, you're taken to jail for booking, photographed and fingerprinted, and held pending arraignment. Bail in sexual assault cases is often set very high or denied entirely, particularly in cases involving children or allegations of violence.

Prosecutors then formally file charges, often choosing the most serious charges supported by allegations even when evidence is weak. Overcharging is common in sex crime cases, with prosecutors filing maximum charges knowing they can negotiate downward later. Your first court appearance is an arraignment where charges are read and you enter a plea. Never plead guilty at arraignment without consulting an attorney, even if you believe you might eventually plead guilty. Early guilty pleas eliminate all negotiation leverage and defense opportunities.

Pretrial Proceedings

After arraignment, cases proceed through pretrial phases including discovery where your attorney obtains all prosecution evidence, pretrial motions challenging evidence admissibility and constitutional violations, suppression hearings where judges rule on evidence challenges, expert retention to analyze forensic evidence and challenge prosecution experts, witness interviews and investigation, and plea negotiations if appropriate. This pretrial phase is where cases are won or lost through effective legal advocacy and investigation.

Trial

If cases cannot be resolved through dismissal or acceptable plea agreements, they proceed to jury trial. Sexual assault trials are emotionally charged and require sophisticated trial skills. Effective trial defense includes jury selection to identify fair jurors not biased by allegations, opening statements framing defense themes, aggressive cross-examination exposing weaknesses in prosecution testimony, expert testimony challenging forensic evidence, presentation of defense witnesses and evidence, and powerful closing arguments creating reasonable doubt. Our attorneys have extensive trial experience and are fully prepared to take cases to verdict when necessary to protect your rights.

Immediate Steps to Protect Your Rights

When facing sexual assault allegations, the actions you take immediately can determine whether you're convicted or acquitted. Many people destroy their own defenses through well-meaning but legally disastrous decisions made in the critical hours and days after accusations arise. Follow these essential guidelines to protect yourself:

Do Not Make Any Statements

Exercise your Fifth Amendment right to remain silent absolutely and without exception. Do not speak to police, detectives, investigators, child protective services, or anyone else about the allegations without your attorney present. Do not try to explain your side or convince authorities of your innocence. Police interview techniques are designed to obtain incriminating statements from both guilty and innocent people. Even truthful statements can be twisted and used against you. Simply state clearly: "I am exercising my right to remain silent and I want to speak with my attorney." Then say nothing else until your lawyer is present.

Contact an Attorney Immediately

Sexual assault cases require immediate legal intervention. Contact an experienced sex crime defense attorney before speaking to anyone about allegations. Early attorney involvement provides critical advantages including preventing damaging statements to authorities, preserving evidence supporting your defense, influencing the investigation before charges are filed, protecting your constitutional rights throughout the process, and developing comprehensive defense strategies from day one. Do not wait until you're arrested or charged. If you learn that allegations have been made against you, contact an attorney immediately for guidance on protecting yourself.

Do Not Contact the Accuser

Under no circumstances should you contact the person making accusations against you. Do not call, text, email, or communicate through social media or third parties. Do not try to convince them to recant or explain what happened. These contacts will be characterized as intimidation, witness tampering, or evidence of guilt regardless of your intentions. Protective orders often prohibit contact, and violations result in additional criminal charges. Let your attorney handle all aspects of dealing with accusers and their representatives.

Preserve All Evidence

Immediately preserve all evidence that might support your defense including text messages, emails, social media communications, phone records, photos, videos, and any other documentation of your relationship with the accuser or the alleged incident. Do not delete anything from your phone, computer, or social media accounts even if content seems embarrassing or unhelpful. Deletion of evidence can be charged as obstruction of justice and creates inferences of guilt. Make backup copies of all electronic evidence and provide everything to your attorney who will review materials and determine what helps your defense.

Document Everything You Remember

Write down detailed notes about the alleged incident, your relationship with the accuser, and any relevant circumstances while memories are fresh. Include dates, times, locations, witnesses present, sequence of events, conversations, and anything else you remember. These notes are for your attorney's use in building your defense and should be marked "Attorney Work Product - Confidential" at the top. Never share these notes with anyone except your lawyer, and do not keep them where others might access them.

Do Not Discuss Your Case

Aside from your attorney, do not discuss your case with anyone including family members, friends, coworkers, or anyone else. Anything you say can be discovered and used against you. People you trust may be interviewed by police or subpoenaed to testify. Your conversations are not privileged or confidential except with your attorney. Well-meaning friends and family often inadvertently damage cases by repeating what defendants told them. The only safe course is complete silence about your case to everyone except your lawyer. For more guidance on handling criminal charges, see our article on whether you should plead guilty.

Sex Offender Registration Consequences in Ohio

Sex offender registration requirements under Ohio's SORN law often prove more devastating than incarceration itself. Understanding these consequences demonstrates why fighting to avoid registration-requiring convictions is absolutely critical, even if it means risking trial rather than accepting plea deals that require registration.

Ohio's Three-Tier Registration System

Ohio classifies sex offenders into three tiers with increasingly severe registration requirements. Tier III offenders - including those convicted of rape - must register for life with quarterly in-person verification. Tier II offenders must register for 25 years with verification every 180 days. Tier I offenders must register for 15 years with annual verification. Registration requires providing current address, employment, vehicle information, email addresses, and online identifiers. Offenders must appear in person to verify information and update any changes within strict deadlines, with violations constituting new felonies.

Public Registry and Community Notification

Ohio maintains a public online sex offender registry accessible to anyone with internet access. The registry includes your photo, full name, aliases, date of birth, physical description, current address with map, conviction details, and tier classification. This public listing ensures that neighbors, employers, acquaintances, and anyone who searches your name will immediately learn of your sex offender status. Tier III offenders are subject to community notification where authorities actively inform neighbors, schools, and community organizations of your presence.

The public nature of registration creates permanent stigma that makes employment nearly impossible, prevents normal housing options, destroys privacy, and subjects offenders to harassment and even violence from community members. Registered sex offenders report that the public registry is often more punishing than prison because it prevents them from ever moving forward with their lives.

Residence and Proximity Restrictions

Ohio prohibits registered sex offenders from living within 1,000 feet of schools, preschools, or daycare centers. Many municipalities impose additional restrictions prohibiting residence near parks, playgrounds, libraries, or school bus stops. These restrictions eliminate the majority of housing options in most communities, forcing offenders into limited areas where housing is available. Many offenders become homeless because they cannot find legally permissible housing. The restrictions continue even after sentences are completed, making it nearly impossible to rebuild stable lives.

Employment and Education Consequences

Sex offender registration creates nearly insurmountable employment barriers. Most employers refuse to hire registered sex offenders, particularly for positions involving public contact, children, or positions of trust. Professional licenses are typically revoked or denied. Offenders cannot work near schools or anywhere children congregate. Many registered offenders never find employment beyond minimum-wage positions despite previous careers and education. College admission and financial aid are typically unavailable, preventing offenders from obtaining education that might improve employment prospects.

GPS Monitoring and Supervision

Many Ohio sex offenders are subject to continuous GPS monitoring requiring them to wear ankle bracelets that track their location 24/7. Monitored offenders must charge devices regularly, cannot enter prohibited zones, and face constant supervision. Monitoring continues for years or even lifetime for Tier III offenders. The devices are visible, mark offenders publicly, and create practical difficulties in daily life. Combined with registration requirements, GPS monitoring ensures that offenders never experience privacy or freedom even after completing sentences.

These severe registration consequences make it imperative to fight sex crime charges aggressively, even when conviction seems likely. An experienced attorney may be able to negotiate plea agreements to non-registrable offenses, achieve reclassification to lower tiers, or win acquittal at trial. The difference between registration and no registration literally determines whether you can rebuild your life or face permanent destruction of all normal opportunities.

Common Defenses to Sexual Assault Allegations

Sexual assault charges can be successfully defended through various legal strategies depending on the specific facts, evidence, and circumstances of your case. Experienced defense attorneys understand how to identify and develop the strongest defenses to achieve dismissals, acquittals, or favorable plea resolutions. Here are the most effective defenses to sexual assault allegations:

Consent

In cases involving adults where capacity is not at issue, consent is the most common and often most effective defense. If sexual activity was consensual, no crime occurred regardless of what the accuser later claims. Establishing consent requires demonstrating the relationship context, showing evidence of consensual interaction through communications before and after the alleged incident, presenting witness testimony about the nature of your relationship, and challenging the accuser's credibility regarding non-consent claims.

Electronic communications - text messages, social media messages, emails - often provide powerful consent evidence showing that alleged victims expressed interest in sexual activity, initiated contact, or communicated affectionately after alleged assaults. Photos and videos can establish consensual relationships. Witness testimony about the relationship and the accuser's behavior provides crucial context. Defense attorneys thoroughly investigate and develop consent defenses that create reasonable doubt about non-consent allegations.

False Accusations

False accusations of sexual assault occur more frequently than many people realize. Accusers fabricate allegations for various motives including revenge after relationship breakups, custody advantages in divorce proceedings, financial gain through civil lawsuits, covering infidelity or other behavior, attention-seeking or mental health issues, and pressure from family or peers. Defending false accusations requires aggressive investigation into the accuser's background, credibility, and potential motives.

Effective false accusation defenses include demonstrating inconsistencies in the accuser's multiple accounts of allegations, establishing motive to fabricate including relationship conflicts or custody disputes, revealing prior false accusations by the same accuser, showing the accuser's history of dishonesty or mental health issues, timeline analysis proving alleged events couldn't have occurred as claimed, and expert testimony about false accusation patterns and unreliable interview techniques. Our attorneys understand that false accusations destroy innocent lives and we investigate exhaustively to expose fabricated claims.

Mistaken Identity

In cases where assault allegations may be credible but identity is disputed, mistaken identity defenses establish that you are not the perpetrator. These defenses require alibi evidence placing you elsewhere when the alleged assault occurred, challenging identification procedures used by police as suggestive or unreliable, presenting evidence that someone else committed the alleged assault, and demonstrating problems with eyewitness identification including poor lighting, brief observation time, or cross-racial identification difficulties.

DNA evidence can both inculpate and exculpate depending on testing results. If DNA evidence excludes you as the source, it provides powerful mistaken identity defense. However, DNA evidence is not infallible and can be challenged through contamination claims, chain of custody problems, and expert testimony about testing limitations.

Insufficient Evidence

The prosecution bears the burden of proving guilt beyond reasonable doubt - an extremely high standard. When evidence is weak, contradictory, or insufficient to meet this burden, defendants should be acquitted. Insufficient evidence defenses focus on the lack of physical evidence supporting allegations, absence of witnesses corroborating the accuser's account, contradictions between the accuser's testimony and physical evidence, lack of medical evidence consistent with assault allegations, and reasonable doubt created by any of these evidentiary weaknesses.

Sexual assault cases often involve "he said, she said" scenarios where the only evidence is conflicting testimony. When no physical evidence, witnesses, or corroboration exists, experienced defense attorneys create reasonable doubt by exposing inconsistencies, challenging credibility, and highlighting the absence of supporting evidence.

Constitutional Violations

Evidence obtained through constitutional violations must be suppressed and cannot be used at trial. Defense attorneys identify and challenge Fourth Amendment violations including illegal searches of homes, vehicles, or electronic devices, unlawfully obtained DNA samples, and evidence seized without warrants or probable cause. Fifth Amendment violations include coerced confessions and statements obtained after invocation of right to counsel. Sixth Amendment violations include denial of right to counsel during critical proceedings.

Successful suppression of key evidence often results in case dismissal when prosecutors lose essential proof. Even when cases proceed after suppression, excluding evidence significantly weakens the prosecution's case and improves defense prospects at trial. Our attorneys thoroughly analyze every aspect of investigations to identify constitutional violations and file aggressive suppression motions.

Forensic Evidence Challenges

Sexual assault prosecutions often rely heavily on forensic evidence including DNA testing, rape kit examinations, and expert testimony. However, forensic evidence is not infallible and can be challenged through various methods. Defense strategies include questioning chain of custody for biological samples, challenging DNA testing procedures and interpretation, presenting alternative explanations for forensic findings, retaining independent experts to review and critique prosecution expert opinions, and exposing limitations and error rates in forensic techniques.

DNA evidence, while powerful, can be contaminated, improperly tested, or explained through innocent transfer. Medical evidence from rape kit examinations is often ambiguous and consistent with both assault and consensual activity. Expert witnesses for both sides frequently disagree about forensic evidence interpretation. Skilled defense attorneys retain qualified experts and effectively challenge prosecution forensic evidence to create doubt about guilt.

False Accusations and How to Challenge Them

False accusations of sexual assault occur with disturbing frequency, destroying innocent lives and highlighting the critical importance of aggressive legal defense. Understanding why false accusations happen and how they can be challenged helps defendants and their families navigate the nightmare of being falsely accused.

Why False Accusations Occur

Research and legal experience reveal common patterns in false sexual assault accusations. Revenge motivations arise when relationships end badly, particularly when one party feels rejected, hurt, or angry. False accusations become weapons to hurt former partners, destroy their reputations, and exact revenge for real or perceived wrongs. Custody and divorce motivations occur when one parent fabricates allegations to gain advantages in family court, restrict the other parent's custody and visitation, or strengthen their position in contentious divorces.

Regret and social pressure lead to false accusations when consensual encounters are later regretted due to religious or family values, infidelity that needs to be explained or covered, peer pressure and judgment from friends or family, or morning-after regret about decisions made while intoxicated. Rather than accepting responsibility for consensual decisions, accusers reframe encounters as non-consensual to avoid judgment and consequences.

Mental health and attention-seeking behaviors drive some false accusations. Individuals with personality disorders, histories of fabrication, attention-seeking patterns, or difficulties distinguishing reality from fantasy may make false accusations without clear rational motive. Financial motivations arise when accusers recognize that sexual assault allegations can lead to lucrative civil lawsuits, victim compensation funds, and financial settlements from defendants desperate to avoid criminal charges.

Investigating and Proving False Accusations

Exposing false accusations requires thorough investigation by experienced defense attorneys and private investigators. Key investigative strategies include comprehensive background checks on accusers revealing prior false accusations, credibility problems, and relevant history. Examination of electronic communications shows evidence contradicting non-consent claims including flirtatious messages after alleged assaults, photos suggesting consensual relationships, and communications inconsistent with assault claims.

Timeline analysis reveals logical impossibilities and inconsistencies in accusations by establishing when alleged events could not have occurred as claimed, documenting inconsistent statements by accusers across multiple interviews, and demonstrating evolving allegations that change over time to fit evidence. Motive investigation uncovers reasons accusers fabricated allegations including recent relationship conflicts, pending custody battles, financial distress suggesting monetary motivation, and evidence of revenge planning.

Witness interviews identify people who can contradict accusations, testify to the accuser's reputation for dishonesty, provide evidence of fabrication, and describe the accuser's behavior inconsistent with assault claims. Expert witnesses can testify about false accusation patterns, unreliable interview and investigation techniques used by authorities, and memory contamination through suggestive questioning.

Credibility Attacks on False Accusers

At trial, aggressive cross-examination and credibility attacks on accusers are essential to exposing false allegations. Defense attorneys challenge accusers by highlighting multiple inconsistent statements about alleged events, exposing implausibility in testimony that defies logic or physical possibility, revealing motive to fabricate through evidence of revenge, custody, or financial motivations, introducing prior false accusations or dishonest behavior, questioning delayed reporting inconsistent with genuine assault claims, and demonstrating continued voluntary contact with defendants after alleged assaults.

Effective impeachment requires thorough preparation, detailed knowledge of all prior statements, and strategic cross-examination skills that many attorneys lack. Our Cincinnati and West Chester sexual assault defense attorneys have extensive trial experience exposing false accusers and creating reasonable doubt through aggressive but professional credibility attacks.

How The Law Offices of Steven R. Adams Defends Sexual Assault Cases

Sexual assault defense requires specialized knowledge, investigative resources, trial skills, and unwavering commitment to protecting clients' rights and futures. Attorneys Alex Deardorff and Tad Brittingham bring decades of combined criminal defense experience to every sex crime case, providing the aggressive representation essential to achieving favorable outcomes. Here's how we defend clients accused of sexual assault throughout Hamilton County, Butler County, and Southwest Ohio:

Immediate Response and Case Control

We respond immediately when clients contact us about sexual assault allegations, providing 24/7 availability for urgent matters. Early attorney involvement is critical because the investigation phase offers opportunities to influence outcomes before charges are filed. We immediately advise clients on protecting their rights, preserving evidence, and avoiding damaging statements. We contact investigators and prosecutors early to present defense perspectives, challenge weak cases, and sometimes prevent charges from being filed.

Comprehensive Investigation

We conduct thorough independent investigations parallel to law enforcement investigations. Our investigation includes detailed client interviews to understand all relevant facts and circumstances, comprehensive background investigations on accusers to identify credibility issues and motives, witness interviews to obtain defense testimony and challenge prosecution witnesses, examination of all physical and electronic evidence, and retention of expert witnesses when necessary to challenge forensic evidence and prosecution experts.

We preserve and analyze electronic evidence including text messages, social media communications, emails, phone records, and any other documentation relevant to consent, credibility, or false accusation issues. This thorough investigation often reveals evidence that law enforcement ignored or never discovered, strengthening defense cases significantly.

Aggressive Pretrial Advocacy

Most sexual assault cases are resolved in the pretrial phase through dismissals or plea agreements. We pursue every available pretrial strategy including filing motions to suppress illegally obtained evidence and statements, challenging the sufficiency of charges and seeking dismissals, negotiating with prosecutors to reduce charges or achieve favorable plea agreements, presenting exculpatory evidence that undermines prosecution cases, and challenging identification procedures and forensic evidence through expert analysis.

Our relationships with Hamilton County prosecutors, Butler County prosecutors, and judges throughout Southwest Ohio - developed through years of criminal defense practice - provide credibility when we advocate for dismissals or favorable resolutions. We leverage these relationships while maintaining aggressive advocacy for our clients' interests.

Expert Witness Retention and Forensic Challenges

Sexual assault prosecutions often rely heavily on expert testimony regarding DNA evidence, medical examinations, and forensic analysis. We retain qualified defense experts to review prosecution evidence, identify weaknesses and errors, and provide testimony challenging prosecution experts. Our expert network includes forensic DNA analysts, sexual assault nurse examiners with defense experience, psychologists who testify about false accusations and memory issues, and forensic technology experts who analyze electronic evidence.

Expert testimony levels the playing field against prosecution experts and creates doubt about forensic evidence that juries might otherwise view as conclusive. Many cases turn on expert testimony, and our commitment to retaining qualified experts demonstrates our dedication to mounting complete defenses.

Skilled Trial Advocacy

When cases cannot be resolved favorably through pretrial negotiations, we are fully prepared to take cases to jury trial. Our trial approach includes strategic jury selection to identify fair jurors without bias against defendants, compelling opening statements framing defense theories, aggressive cross-examination exposing prosecution witnesses' weaknesses and inconsistencies, presentation of defense witnesses and evidence, expert testimony supporting defense positions, and powerful closing arguments creating reasonable doubt and demanding acquittal.

Attorneys Alex Deardorff and Tad Brittingham have extensive trial experience in sex crime cases and understand the unique challenges these trials present. We are not afraid to take cases to verdict when necessary to protect our clients' rights and futures. Our trial preparation and skills have resulted in numerous acquittals in sexual assault cases throughout Southwest Ohio. 

Protecting Clients from Collateral Consequences

Beyond criminal proceedings, we advise clients about and defend against collateral consequences including sex offender registration requirements, civil lawsuits from accusers, professional license implications, family court proceedings involving custody and visitation, immigration consequences for non-citizens, and public relations and reputation management.

Our goal is not merely to win criminal cases but to protect every aspect of our clients' lives and futures from the devastating consequences of sexual assault allegations.

Local Court Experience in Hamilton and Butler Counties

Our attorneys have practiced extensively in all Hamilton County and Butler County courts including Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas, Butler County Court of Common Pleas, Cincinnati Municipal Court, West Chester Municipal Court, and all other municipal courts throughout the region. We know the judges who handle sexual assault cases, their approaches to evidence and sentencing, and how to tailor advocacy to each specific courtroom. We regularly work with Hamilton County prosecutors and Butler County prosecutors, understanding their policies, preferences, and negotiation strategies.

This local experience provides substantial advantages. We understand how cases are investigated and prosecuted in each jurisdiction. We know which arguments resonate with local juries. We have established credibility with judges and prosecutors that enhances our advocacy effectiveness. Whether your case is in downtown Cincinnati, West Chester, or anywhere in Southwest Ohio, our local knowledge strengthens your defense.

Frequently Asked Questions About Sexual Assault Defense

Contact Experienced Cincinnati Sexual Assault Defense Lawyers Today

If you're facing sexual assault, rape, or any sex crime allegations in Cincinnati, West Chester, Hamilton County, Butler County, or anywhere in Southwest Ohio, contact The Law Offices of Steven R. Adams immediately for confidential legal representation. Sexual assault charges threaten everything you've built - your freedom, family, career, and future. You need experienced defense attorneys who understand the stakes and fight aggressively to protect your rights from the moment allegations arise.

Attorneys Alex Deardorff and Tad Brittingham provide immediate, confidential consultations to discuss your situation, explain your options, and begin building your defense. We understand the fear, stress, and uncertainty you're experiencing. We also understand that accusations are not the same as guilt, that false allegations occur, and that everyone deserves vigorous legal representation and the presumption of innocence regardless of what they're accused of.

Our firm offers free initial consultations conducted in complete confidentiality. We provide 24/7 availability because we know that arrests and accusations don't respect business hours. When your freedom and future are at stake, you need attorneys who respond immediately and fight tirelessly to protect your rights.

Don't face these life-altering allegations alone. Contact us today at (513) 929-9333 for your free, confidential consultation with experienced sexual assault defense attorneys who will stand with you and fight for your future.