The Romeo and Juliet law is a relatively new statutory law that was passed in 2007. Under this law, teenagers can now be tried and convicted of sex offenses by engaging in sexual relations with teenagers younger than themselves. Receiving the label of a sex offender can have a significant impact upon a teenager’s life. Sex offender status limits housing, job employment opportunity, and personal life.
Before the Romeo and Juliet law was passed in 2007, a 15-year-old teenager and an 18-year-old teenager could have consensual sexual relations. Afterward, if accused, the 18-year-old, whether male or female, could then be labeled as a sex offender for a minimum of twenty years. Thanks to the Romeo and Juliet law, the teenager now has just as much right to petition the court in order to have his or her sex offender status removed as a sexual offender.
In order to petition, the case must meet the follow criteria:
- The victim must have had to be at least fourteen years of age.
- The victim must have had to consent to the sexual engagement.
- The offender cannot have been accused or convicted of a previous sex crime.
- The offender had to have been convicted of a sex offense that qualifies for petition.
- The offender cannot have been more than four years the elder of the victim during the incident in question.
Note that just because the case meets the criteria listed above, that does not change the legality of the sexual contact. However, meeting the criteria will allow the offender to petition the courts to have his or her status a sexual offender revoked.
In the state of Florida, ignorance of the victim’s age is no longer considered a viable defense and thus will not constitute a repeal or revocation of the offender’s sex offender status. Since the year the Romeo and Juliet law was passed, more than two hundred and fifty would-be teenage sex offenders have successfully petitioned, and appealed, their sex offender status under the Romeo and Juliet law. Much of the public in Florida believe strongly that this law allows a distinct line to be drawn between true sex offenders, and teenagers making lustful mistakes.