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Los Angeles Lewd Conduct Defense Lawyers 
Lewd Conduct
A person may be charged with lewd conduct in California if he or she engages in or solicits someone to engage in lewd or dissolute acts in a public place or an area exposed to public view. Many lewd conduct charges result from mistaken allegations or entrapment.
California Penal Code 647
A person may be charged with disorderly (lewd) conduct if they solicit, "anyone to engage in or who engages in lewd or dissolute conduct in any public place or in any place open to the public or exposed to public view."
Examples of Lewd Conduct
Lewd conduct is a general term that may be used for many acts. Public flashing, mooning, public sex and oral sex may all be considered lewd acts. Having sex in a public place where others may be offended may lead to lewd conduct charges. A moment of passion or lapse in judgment can lead to serious charges that can change your life.
Penalties for Lewd Conduct
Lewd conduct is typically considered a misdemeanor in California. The penalties may include:
- Up to six months in county jail
- Probation
- Up to $1,000 in fines
The severity of the penalty depends on the act committed, the people offended and the criminal history of the defendant.
Entrapment
Many "lewd conduct in public" arrests are the direct result of entrapment. Police officers bait unsuspecting people into committing lewd acts and then make the arrest. This type of entrapment is often done in public locations such as parks and bathrooms. Victims of such entrapment can fight back with the assistance of an experienced Los Angeles criminal defense attorney.
Defending Lewd Conduct Charges
A lewd conduct conviction requires:
- Touching of private parts for arousal, gratification or to offend another
- It must take place in a public location or where the public may view it
- Someone else must be offended by the act
- The defendant must know that someone else is present and may be offended
As long as the defendant is not aware of a third party or that the third party would be offended, a lewd conduct charge will not hold in court.
If you are facing lewd conduct charges in Los Angeles, pleaseget in touch with an experienced Los Angeles sex crime defense lawyer Takakjian & Sitkoff, LLP. Our lawyers are former prosecutors who know and understand how the local courts work. Our goal is to get your charges dismissed or have them reduced. Call us today to get more information about how to protect your rights.
If you have been arrested for a lewd conduct offense then please call us immediately for a FREE CONSULTATION at (888) 579-4844
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