Registering as a sex offender can negatively impact many aspects of your life. Your name, address, photo and other personal information are made public. This information turns up every time a businesses or property owner runs a background check on you, which makes finding a job and a place to live very difficult. Registered sex offenders are also prohibited from having custody of their children and are only allowed supervised visits. Fortunately, a skilled criminal defense attorney can help you understand your rights and your options.

The Three Tiers Of The Sex Offender Registry

Texas has three different levels of sex offender registration requirements for people convicted of sex crimes. Based on the crime committed, a convicted sex offender will be required to submit information to the sex offender registry either for 10 years or for the rest of their life. For juveniles who successfully petition the court, they can have their name and other private information hidden from the public, known only to law enforcement.

Lifetime registration is required for adults who are convicted of violent sex crimes, sex crimes involving children and other crimes involving forced sexual acts. The court typically mandates the 10-year sex offender registration requirement for juveniles, but adults may also receive the 10-year requirement for less egregious crimes.

Prosecution Of Juvenile Sex Offenders

While juveniles convicted of sex crimes in Texas are usually required to register as sex offenders, judges have the discretion to be more lenient. Sometimes judges will defer their decision until after the juvenile has completed counseling. A judge may also decide that a convicted juvenile be added to the sex offender registry, but that their information will be restricted from the public. It is also at the judge’s discretion to simply rule that registering as a sex offender is not required. Judges do not have this discretion when ruling on adult sex offender cases.

If the judge rules that a juvenile must register as a sex offender, the juvenile can seek a court order to exempt them from registration. Alternately, they can seek a court order to keep their information away from the public. In most cases, rulings that require juveniles to register as sex offenders are usually for a 10-year period, and not for a lifetime.

Removing Your Name From The Sex Offense Registry

For sex offenders convicted of nonviolent crimes, there is a process called deregistration that provides a pathway to removing your name from the sex offender registry. This process involves counseling, evaluation by court-approved specialists and submitting an application to the court. At the Law Offices of John C. Rentz, P.C., we can guide you through the court process to remove your name from the sex offender registry so you can get your life back.

Contact The Law Offices Of John C. Rentz, P.C.

If you want to remove your name from the sex offender registry, schedule a consultation with the Law Offices of John C. Rentz, P.C., by calling 940-488-1026 or filling out our online contact form.