Southern California Defense Blog

Lewd Conduct, as defined under Penal Code Section 647(a), is any touching of your own or another person’s genitals, buttocks, or female breast with lewd intent. Soliciting or engaging in lewd acts in a public place is punishable as a misdemeanor.

If you are facing charges for lewd acts in San Bernardino, you need to protect yourself by hiring an experienced Wallin & Klarich San Bernardino criminal defense attorney. Your attorneys at Wallin & Klarich can explain the penalties, punishment, and sentencing attributed to the charges of soliciting or engaging in lewd acts in public to you.

Sentencing and Punishment for Lewd Acts in San Bernardino

A misdemeanor soliciting or engaging in lewd acts in a public place conviction is punishable by imprisonment in county jail for up to six months, or by a fine up to $1,000, or both.

The experienced criminal defense attorneys at Wallin & Klarich’s San Bernardino office may be able to obtain a reduced sentence in your case. Instead of imposing a jail sentence of up to six months, the court may:
• Place you on probation;
• Place you on probation and order you to complete community service or a work release program; or
• Place you on probation and assign you a probation officer.

Defenses to Lewd Acts in Public in San Bernardino

Although a conviction for lewd acts in San Bernardino can have long-lasting consequences, your Wallin & Klarich attorneys may be able to get your case dismissed by raising several defenses. These defenses include:
• The touching of another’s genitals, buttocks, or breast area was accidental;
• The touching was not done with the intent of sexual arousal or sexual gratification; and
• The incident did not occur in a public place or within public view, such as a park or public bathroom

Be sure to contact our San Bernardino Wallin & Klarich Lewd Acts Defense Attorneys to learn more about what defenses may apply to your case.

Finding an Experienced San Bernardino Lewd Acts Defense Attorney

A conviction for lewd acts in San Bernardino may subject you to jail time and hefty fines. After going over the facts of your case, your San Bernardino Wallin & Klarich attorney will form a strong defense strategy on your behalf and argue passionately to get your case dismissed. With offices in Orange County, Los Angeles, San Diego, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, Victorville, West Covina, Torrance, and Sherman Oaks, the attorneys at Wallin & Klarich have been successfully defending lewd acts cases for over 30 years.

Call us today at (888) 280-6839. We will get through this together.

In Orange County, just like in every other county in California, a charge of lewd acts in public can result in serious consequences. While this charge is considered a misdemeanor, one of the possible consequences could result in you having to register as a sex offender for life as well as up to six months in county jail.

The attorneys at Wallin and Klarich have successfully defended hundreds of persons who have been accused of lewd conduct PC 647(a). In many cases we have been able to have the charges dismissed and in other cases have been able to have the charges reduced to a non-sexual offense. In those cases our clients did not have to register per Penal Code section 290 as a sex offender.

To be found guilty of committing a lewd conduct in public, the People must prove that:

1. You willfully engaged in the touching of your own, or another person’s, genitals, buttocks, or female breast;

2. You did so with the intent to sexually arouse or gratify yourself or another person, or to annoy or offend another person;

3. At the time you engaged in the conduct, you were in a public place [or a place open to the public, or to public view;

4. At the time you engaged in the conduct, someone else who might have been offended was present; AND

5. You knew or reasonably should have known that another person who might have been offended by your conduct was present.

The attorneys at Wallin & Klarich will go over the facts of the case with you and will prepare a defense to help you win your case. If you want the best representation you can get then call the law offices of Wallin & Klarich today.

Wallin and Klarich has over 30 years of experience successfully defending people charged with lewd conduct in public. We will work to aggressively defend you by investigating all aspects of your case and to ensure that your rights are protected. The attorneys at Wallin & Klarich can be reached by phone at 877-230-1529 or through our website at www.wklaw.com. We will be there when you call.

A Complete Waste of Taxpayers' Dollars!

The LA Times reported that Fred Willard was recently arrested for lewd conduct in a public place with the alleged illegal act being committed in an adult porn theater. Please visit our website for more information on Lewd Acts in California.

The crime for which Willard would be prosecuted is a violation of Penal Code Section 647(a). However, to be guilty of that crime you have to have committed a lewd act in a public place where persons were present that would be "offended by the conduct.” That will be extremely difficult for the DA to prove.

Who goes to an adult porn theater that would be offended by someone in the theater exposing their genitals? I would assume the reason people go to such movie theaters is for the specific purpose of being sexually aroused.

More importantly, it is ridiculous that the Los Angeles Police Department spends taxpayer dollars to waste their time to visit these establishments for the purpose of arresting those who come to watch such entertainment.

When serious crimes are being committed outside the theaters, do we REALLY have police officers entering the theater with flashlights looking for males with their penises exposed? Are you kidding me?

We have been defending people accused of this crime for over 30 years, and there is no way that the prosecution will be able to obtain a conviction in this case. Get real LAPD.

Please contact our criminal defense law firm in Los Angeles if you have been accused of lewd conduct PC 647(a) in the area. Call us at 888-280-6839 for immediate assistance. We will be there when you call.