• Did the victim consent to sex but later allege that he or she was raped?
• Did the alleged victim make a mistake in identifying the attacker? Was he or she incapacitated in any way?
• Was the DNA evidence presented properly collected, identified and stored?
• Was the alleged victim mentally competent and able to distinguish fact from fiction?
• Did the alleged perpetrator have a medical condition that made rape impossible?

Attorney Burns asks these questions and many more in order to build the strongest possible defense.

• Up to life in state prison for rape, statutory rape, and rape of a child under 16
• Up to 10 years in state prison for indecent assault and battery if the victim was a child (up to five years if the victim was over 14)
• Up to 20 years in state prison for assault with intent to commit rape
• Up to three years in state prison for lewdness
• Up to six months in jail for indecent exposure

For many, the worst penalty is the life-long requirement to register as a sex offender. The list of offenses that require sex offender registration after conviction is long. In addition to registering with local law enforcement, people subject to the registration requirement must participate in counseling and may be prevented from moving around freely. This can involve restrictions on travel, where they can live or work, and prohibitions on interacting with children. Attorney Burns works hard to limit the effects of the offender registration law on her clients.