Follow these qualifications in order to be removed from the sex offender registry
Texas law requires that those convicted of a sexually motivated crime register as a sex offender. There are a number of crimes that fall under this umbrella—including prostitution, indecency with a child, possession of child pornography and sexual assault or rape. There are other crimes that may be included as well, but these are among the most common offenses that land people on the registry.
The length of time that a person must remain registered as a sex offender is dependent upon the type of crime committed. Different lengths of time have been established for different crimes. However, a new law was passed in Texas in 2013 that allows people to de-register from the sexual offender list if they meet certain requirements.
Process for being deregistered from the sex offender list
To qualify for deregistration, one must have been a first-time sex offender who committed a non-aggravated offense. The person also must have been registered for a minimum of 10 years, have successfully completed sex offender treatment and pose no significant threat to society in terms of re-offending.
It is purposefully extremely tedious to get de-registered from the Texas sex offender registry. Therefore, it’s wise to contact a sex crime defense lawyer if you’d like to look into this process.
First, you will have to petition the court to grant you special permission to get off of the registry. Most courts don’t readily agree to do this, so expect an uphill battle.
Assuming that you have an attorney to represent you, you may be granted permission to be removed from the list by the court. That is an excellent first step, but you are just getting started. At that point, you will then have to agree to an evaluation from a sex offender de-registration specialist about your risk of re-offending. This assessment is critical as it is a required piece of your petition.
When to consult a sex crime lawyer
If you’re looking to be deregistered from the sex offender list, a defense lawyer can help you at every step of the process. Not only can they get you properly scheduled for the various processes that you have to go through, but they can review the specifics of your case to see what you might do that could help in your favor. They can also help present the facts of your case and help you get to a place where you are no longer viewed by society as just a sex offender.
You have much more to offer the world, and that is why deregistration is so important.
No one wants to remain on a sex offender list. Not only is it personally shameful as a constant reminder of the mistakes that you have made in life, but it also creates a lot of stigma against that individual.
For instance, many companies will not hire someone who is on the registry, and the person may be restricted from being physically near certain places such as schools or playgrounds, which can impact where they live.
Moving on from sex registry list
Someone who has put in the time to work to go through the deregistration process is clearly motivated to turn their life around. They have shown that they are striving for something more than just to be labeled as a sex offender. They have owned up to their mistakes and paid the price, and now they are preparing to take every step that they can in the right direction towards a better life.
Given the broad public support for the existence of a registry in the first place, it is never easy to be the person looking to get off of it. This is a delicate process that should be handled by a seasoned attorney who knows what they’re doing.
Once all of the hoops have been jumped through and it is all over, then it is time to start rebuilding your life and moving on. You can’t change the past or the things that happened, but you can start to make a change going forward and helping others.
The best way to make that happen is to start the deregistration process today. To begin, contact the Law Office of Matthew D. Sharp today to find out if you’re eligible.
Your first consultation is free.
