Romeo & Juliet Law in Florida
Protect Yourself with Florida Sex Crime Attorneys
The Romeo and Juliet law is a relatively new statutory law that was passed in 2007. Under this law, teenagers can now be tried and convicted of sex offenses by engaging in sexual relations with teenagers younger than themselves. Receiving the label of a sex offender can have a significant impact upon a teenager's life. Sex offender status limits housing, job employment opportunity, and personal life. As such, the law has become fairly notorious. Unfortunately for offenders, while the Romeo and Juliet law does differentiate teenage offenders from adult offenders who prey on children, the sex offender registry does not.
Learn more about the Romeo & Juliet law by calling Musca Law at (888) 484-5057! We are available 24/7 to take your calls and will fight tenaciously for your best interests.
The Requirements for Being Accused of the Romeo and Juliet Law
Before the Romeo and Juliet law was passed in 2007, a 15-year-old teenager and an 18-year-old teenager could have consensual sexual relations. Afterward, if accused, the 18-year-old, whether male or female, could then be labeled as a sex offender for a minimum of twenty years. Thanks to the Romeo and Juliet law, the teenager now has just as much right to petition the court in order to have his or her sex offender status removed as a sexual offender.
- The victim must have had to be at least fourteen years of age.
- The victim must have had to consent to the sexual engagement.
- The offender cannot have been accused or convicted of a previous sex crime.
- The offender had to have been convicted of a sex offense that qualifies for petition.
- The offender cannot have been more than four years the elder of the victim during the incident in question.
Note that just because the case meets the criteria listed above, that does not change the legality of the sexual contact. However, meeting the criteria will allow the offender to petition the courts to have his or her status a sexual offender revoked.
In the state of Florida, ignorance of the victim's age is no longer considered a viable defense and thus will not constitute a repeal or revocation of the offender's sex offender status. Since the year the Romeo and Juliet law was passed, more than two hundred and fifty would-be teenage sex offenders have successfully petitioned, and appealed, their sex offender status under the Romeo and Juliet law. Much of the public in Florida believe strongly that this law allows a distinct line to be drawn between true sex offenders, and teenagers making lustful mistakes.
Contact Florida Sex Crime Lawyers from Musca Law!
If you need representation in order to appeal your status as a sex offender, and you are not sure whether or not the Romeo and Juliet law applies to you, Musca Law can help. With over 150years of combined experience in the field, our Florida Romeo and Juliet Law attorneys know Florida's sex crime laws inside and out.