If you are convicted of a sex crime in California, you will likely be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of your life as part of your sentence. Even if you are not initially sentenced to lifetime sex offender registration, California may try to require you to register. In a recent case, the California Court of Appeal ruled adding registration requirements after a sentence was served is not unreasonable given state and federal laws.

Registering as a sex offender can have devastating consequences on you and your family. It could affect your employment, where you can live and your status within the community. That is why it is important to retain the services of an experienced California criminal defense attorney if you are facing charges of a sex crime. At Wallin & Klarich, we have over 30 years of experience successfully helping our clients obtain relief from sex offender registration requirements.

Maciel v. Cate

James Maciel was convicted of molesting a child and was sent to prison. The trial court never ordered Maciel to register as a sex offender at sentencing. When he was released on parole, he was ordered to register as a sex offender. He appealed that decision.

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal concluded that registration requirements amounted to a non-punitive regulatory measure that was not part of Maciel’s sentence and thus need not be included in the court’s judgment. The court rejected the ex post facto argument, stating that the duty to register was not punitive but civil in nature and served only regulatory purposes. Thus, the parole and registration requirements are not subject to the sentencing court’s discretion and the additional punishments were required by state law.

How the Sex Crimes Attorneys at Wallin & Klarich Can Help

If you are being required to register as a sex offender in California despite it not being included as part of your sentence, it is important to contact an experienced sex crimes defense attorney immediately. The attorneys at Wallin & Klarich have over 30 years of experience aggressively representing our clients seeking relief from lifetime sex offender registration.

With offices in Los Angeles, Sherman Oaks, Torrance, Tustin, San Diego, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, West Covina and Victorville, there is a knowledgeable Wallin & Klarich attorney who can help you no matter where you are located. Our skilled attorneys know how to obtain relief from sex offender registration. Let us help you with your case.

Call us today at (888) 280-6839 for a free telephone consultation. We will get through this together.