DC Solicitation Penalties

The highest penalty a person can possibly receive from a solicitation charge is 90 days in jail. This doesn’t if you’re convicted of a first offense solicitation charge you’ll actually get 90 days in jail. It just is the most that a judge is legally allowed to give you. In fact very rarely will a first offense solicitation charge will wind you up in jail at all. More likely in a first offense situation not only can a DC solicitation lawyer help you avoid jail time but a lawyer can also help you work out a resolution to your case that could result in your charge being completely dismissed. These are called diversion options that allow you to complete community service in exchange for the dismissal of your charges.

Can Solicitation Charges Impact Your Immigration Status?

Solicitation of prostitution can be considered a crime of moral turpitude for immigration purposes. So being convicted of solicitation of prostitution can potentially have an impact on your immigration status, especially if you are on a temporary visa like a work visa or a student visa or a tourist visa.

If you’re on a more stable immigration status such as permanent residency then solicitation for prostitution is considered to be somewhat more minor due to the fact that it’s a misdemeanor offense and for the most part people don’t face a very high likelihood of getting any jail time on a first offence solicitation charge. Nonetheless because of the moral implications of prostitution if you’re not a U S citizen then being convicted can potentially result in a revocation of your visa, possible delays of naturalization, and possible deportation.

Consequences of a Solicitation Conviction

Solicitation is a misdemeanor. So it doesn’t have the severe consequences that a felony charge would have, nonetheless the social implications of the charge of solicitation of prostitution means that it can be a heavy embarrassment to you if it shows up on your record.

People who see solicitation or prostitution think the worst of it in a way that a conviction for simple assault or shoplifting may not. It’s really important to try at all cost to avoid having to take a conviction for solicitation on your record.

Can You Keep a Solicitation Charge Confidential?

For the average person even if you’re convicted of solicitation the chances that your conviction ends up in a easily accessible searchable location is not very high given that it’s a misdemeanor and Washington DC does not consider these charges to be a very high public interest.

Nonetheless on the Washington DC superior court’s website if you went into their case search system and typed in the defendant’s name it would show up there as that person being convicted of a crime in the event that they’re convicted. Usually in DC that is the only place where a member of the public could go in and find out the status of your solicitation case.