Child Protection
Unfortunately, there are too many times when children are abused or neglected by their parents due to the parent's mental health problems, drug addictions, disability or other circumstance. There is a process in the law to allow County Social Service Agencies to intervene within a family. In those matters, the children may be placed in foster care or the social worker may try to work within the family
to resolve the problems. Most often, these child protection cases, called “CHIPS”, are filed by the County in which the child resides. Under some circumstances, other third parties may file a CHIPS case.
The parent has a right to contest the allegations of abuse or neglect, including having a Jury Trial. If the allegations are sufficiently proven, the Court may then make an Order determining many issues related to the family such as placement of the child outside of the home, treatment for the parent to complete and other such conditions. Such an Order usually lasts for one year, but may be extended under certain circumstances.
If you are a parent who has had such a Petition filed against you, we can represent you to investigate the matter, advise you as to how to proceed, attempt to work out an alternative informal resolution or represent you at a Trial on the matter. If the allegations are proven, we can also assist in negotiating over the conditions that the Court might set or contest conditions that you find objectionable.
Our office does a significant amount of work representing children through Court appointments to represent their best interest. If you are a relative of a child where such a Petition has been filed, we can assist you with exercising your legal rights in the matter. We can help you with a request to have the child placed in your home, if the child is not going to remain in the parent’s home.
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