The Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court decided Wednesday to send former justice minister Haim Ramon to an evaluation before sentencing, which will make a recommending regarding whether his conviction for indecent behavior should be overturned.

The former justice minister was convicted roughly three weeks ago, for kissing a female soldier against her will.

In ordering the evaluation, the judges accepted Ramon's attorneys request, and rejected the state's position on the matter.

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The sentencing phase of Ramon's trial began Wednesday. During his opening statement, Ramon's attorney Dan Sheinman asked the court to send Ramon to an evaluation before sentencing, in order to examine the possibility of overturning his conviction and solely sentencing him to community service.

Sheinman said Ramon never denied kissing the soldier, and that even prior to his conviction he had already publicly paid a heavy price. According to Sheinman, "Ramon spent 30 years in public service without a stain. Why to we need to go all the way without any connection to the man? Are we interested in nobody wanting to go into public service?"

The defense added that this is Ramon's first conviction, and that he suffered an injustice due to the investigative failures referred to the judges in their ruling.

Prosecution attorney Ariela Segal-Anteler asked the court to reject Ramon's request, and to not even consider overturning the conviction. Segal-Anteler said that overturning the conviction would send the wrong message to the public.

"Precisely because he is a senior elected official, and especially because he was the justice minister, who is in charge of the law and approves laws with his signature, including laws regarding sex crimes, the norm that we have to demand of him must be higher than that of a regular citizen," she said. "He is expected to behave with extreme care, and he must be held to account based on higher standards."

Segal-Anteler added that Ramon has never expressed regret for his actions.

The next hearing in the sentencing phase has been scheduled for March 15, after the evaluation before sentencing.

Ramon faces a maximum of three years in prison. However, given that Ramon committed a relatively minor form of indecent behavior, as well as his lack of a prior record and his public standing, the judges will likely opt for a minor sentence.

The prosecution is also expected to ask for several months' community service and possibly a suspended prison term.