Criminal Sexual Conduct in the Third Degree

Michigan Sex Crime Attorneys

The consequences of a third degree Criminal Sexual Conduct conviction in Michigan are very harsh. Defendants will want to do everything they can to fight these charges. This includes hiring highly-skilled and aggressive sex crime lawyers. Your attorney will be your advocate in and out of court when it comes to your sex crime case.

At Kronzek & Cronkright, PLLC, we have been practicing sex crime defense for over 100 combined years. We have earned a reputation as being very tough and aggressive when it comes to defending our clients. Unlike some other attorneys, we are not afraid to take these cases to trial. This hard-line approach has won our clients many very favorable results.

Most Michigan sex crimes are charged under the Criminal Sexual Conduct (CSC) laws. Third degree CSC is a serious criminal charge. It always involves sexual penetration, which is defined as: "sexual intercourse, cunnilingus, fellatio, anal intercourse, or any other intrusion, however slight, of any part of a person's body or of any object into the genital or anal openings of another person's body, but emission of semen is not required."

There are a number of circumstances that will results in a Criminal Sexual Conduct in the third degree charge for a defendant. Those include:

• (1) Engaging in sexual penetration with a victim aged 13 up to 16 years old.


• (2) Engaging in sexual penetration that is accomplished through the use of force or coercion.


• (3) Engaging in sexual penetration when the defendant knows or has reason to know that the victim is mentally incapable, mentally incapacitated, or physically helpless.


• (4) Engaging in sexual penetration with a victim who is related to the defendant by blood or affinity to the third degree that occurs under circumstances not prohibited by the law (unless the defendant and the victim are lawfully married to each other or the defendant proves by a preponderance of the evidence that the victim is in a position of authority over the defendant and uses this authority to coerce the defendant to violate this law).


• (5) Engaging in sexual penetration with a victim who is a public or nonpublic school student aged 16 up to age 18, and:
  1. the defendant is a teacher, substitute teacher, or administrator of that public or nonpublic school, school district, or intermediate school district (unless the victim is emancipated or if the defendant and victim are lawfully married to each other), or
  2. the defendant is a teacher, substitute teacher, administrator, employee, contractual service provider, or government employee at the public or nonpublic school, school district, or intermediate school district where the victim is enrolled, or is a non-student volunteer in any public or nonpublic school, -and- the defendant uses his or her employee, contractual, or volunteer status to gain access to, or to establish a relationship with, the victim.


• (6) Engaging in sexual penetration with a victim aged 16 up to age 26 who is receiving special education services, and:
  1. the defendant is a teacher, substitute teacher, administrator, employee, or contractual service provider of the public or nonpublic school, school district, or intermediate school district from where the victim receives special education services (unless the defendant and victim are lawfully married to each other), or
  2. the defendant is a non-student volunteer or is a government employee at the public or nonpublic school, school district, or intermediate school district -and- the defendant uses his or her employee, contractual, or volunteer status to gain access to, or to establish a relationship with, the victim.

Punishments for third degree Criminal Sexual Conduct

Third degree CSC is a felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Also, convicted sex offenders will be placed on the sex offender registry in Michigan. As you can see, police, prosecutors, and judges take this crime very seriously. That is why there is a need for a defense attorney who is going to be just as serious about defending a client's rights.

Free attorney consultation: Fill out our contact form or call 1-866-766-5245 twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week to talk to an experienced Michigan defense lawyer about your Criminal Sexual Conduct case. Our attorneys represent clients throughout Michigan, including Kalamazoo, Lansing, Battle Creek, Grand Rapids, Detroit, Flint, Holland, Saginaw, Ingham County, Eaton County, Calhoun County, and Clinton County.