People convicted of certain sex offenses in California who are required to register as sex offenders are told that this registration is a lifetime requirement. The lifetime requirement language is written into the penal code and many registered sex offenders believe that there is no way for them to stop registering as a result. Sex offender registration is known as a “scarlet letter” and typically has devastating effects on employment prospects, personal relationships, and wreaks havoc on life in general.

Despite the lifetime requirement language, there are certain sex offenses where registration can be stopped by obtaining a Certificate of Rehabilitation in California. A Certificate of Rehabilitation is essentially a declaration by a judge stating that the person has been rehabilitated in the eyes of the law and is no longer a threat to society.

Obtaining this certificate will not stop the registration requirement for all sex crimes but does have that effect for certain offenses. This is why it is important to have a competent San Diego sex crimes attorney anytime you are facing a sex crimes offense.

Sometimes it won’t be possible to avoid the registration requirement up front but plea deals can often be negotiated. A person charged with a sex crime in which a certificate won’t stop the registration requirement can negotiate to be charged with a crime where a certificate will stop the registration requirement.

Knowing what crimes a Certificate of Rehabilitation will or won’t stop the lifetime sex offender registration requirement and the long-term implications of a sex crimes conviction is exactly the type of knowledge the attorneys at Wallin & Klarich can share with somebody who is charged with a sex crime. Wallin & Klarich has been successfully defending these types of crimes for over 30 years. Call 1-888-280-6839 to speak to one of Wallin & Klarich’s aggressive and experienced criminal defense attorneys in California today. Please visit us at www.wklaw.com. We will be there when you call.