Riverside Child Abuse Defense Lawyer

Riverside Child Abuse Defense Attorney

Child abuse is a serious criminal offense, and both law enforcement and the criminal court have a duty to prevent further harm from coming to any child involved in a case. However, it is possible for child abuse allegations to be levied falsely, sometimes in an effort to gain advantage in a separate case such as a child custody dispute. A Riverside child abuse defense attorney is the most important asset you can have if you have been charged with this offense.

Experienced Criminal Defense Counsel for Child Abuse Cases in Riverside, CA

The Lin Law Office Inc. is ready to provide comprehensive defense representation for your impending child abuse case in Riverside, CA. State law defines child abuse as any crime against a child that entails physical abuse, neglect, or psychological harm. Child Protective Services (CPS) is the agency responsible for investigating allegations of child abuse, and the police are typically involved in these investigations as well.

Our firm can carefully review the details of the case against you and help determine your most viable defenses. Some child abuse cases arise from miscommunication or misinterpretation of witnesses, others due to negligence. Some arise from intentional acts of harm, and these cases carry very serious penalties. Your attorney can help you understand what’s at stake in your case so you can make more informed decisions as your proceedings unfold.

When you choose our firm to represent you as defense counsel, you can rely on our team to carefully review all of the evidence against you, the specific circumstances of your arrest and booking, and the procedures completed by Child Protective Services and law enforcement. If you are criminally charged, it is the prosecution’s burden to prove your guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, and it is our job to prevent them from accomplishing this.

Regardless of what your situation entails, swift action is necessary to ensure the most positive outcome for your case. You should speak with a Riverside child abuse defense lawyer as quickly as possible after any interaction with CPS and/or the police. If you have been arrested, it is vital that you exercise your right to remain silent until you can speak with a defense attorney. Anything you say in an attempt to explain yourself can be used against you in various ways.

Child Abuse Versus Child Neglect Versus Child Endangerment

The terms “child abuse,” “child neglect,” and “child endangerment” are often used interchangeably, but these terms define very different things. Child abuse includes any direct harm to a child, typically within a household or family. Child neglect pertains to the child’s primary caregivers failing to provide the child’s basic needs of food, clothing, shelter, and medical care. Child endangerment means exposing a child to an imminent risk of harm.

It is possible for a situation to involve one of these issues that is then escalated to another. For example, driving at reckless speeds with a child in the car could amount to child endangerment. However, if the driver was intentionally driving recklessly and actively attempting to terrorize the child, it would amount to child abuse. It’s possible for any such incident to result in multiple criminal charges against the defendant.

If a custodial parent is convicted of any type of child abuse, child neglect, or child endangerment, they are likely to lose their custody rights or have them significantly restricted. When CPS and law enforcement respond to a call regarding any type of child abuse, it is possible for the child to be removed from an apparently dangerous situation and the alleged abuser to be arrested.

A parent who has been wrongfully accused of child abuse is likely to feel desperate in this very difficult situation. CPS, law enforcement, and the criminal court have a duty to prevent further harm from coming to the child, and a parent may have a very difficult time proving the truth of the situation. It is also possible for child abuse accusations to be made falsely for various reasons, which can feel incredibly unfair to the target of such accusations.

What to Expect From Your Attorney

Child abuse cases are inherently delicate. It is natural for any decent person to want to protect a child, and anyone accused of child abuse will immediately be cast in an unfavorable light. However, misunderstandings can happen in various ways. The majority of child abuse cases involve unique family dynamics, cultural differences, and religious beliefs. It is possible for someone to witness what they believe to be abuse when it, in fact, was not.

Child abuse and many other domestic violence cases often have ramifications in both the criminal court system and the family court system. For example, if a custodial parent is convicted of child abuse, they are likely to lose their custody rights. A family court case may be necessary in order to establish new custodial rights and/or guardianship for the child.

Your Riverside child abuse defense lawyer can help determine the most viable defenses available to you. If you were wrongfully accused of child abuse, your attorney could help gather exculpatory evidence and establish an alternate version of the events that proves you did not commit the offense.

If you did commit an act of child abuse, it is vital to have trustworthy defense representation. The penalties for this offense can be severe, but a good defense attorney can potentially help their client avoid the worst of the penalties that might be assigned to them by the court. Many defendants are forced into probation, required to complete Child Abuser treatment programs, and will be subject to protective orders. Incarceration is likely for severe offenses.

Contact The Lin Law Office Inc. today and schedule a consultation with a Riverside child abuse defense lawyer if you or a family member has been charged with any type of child abuse offense. You must react quickly to these allegations, and the right attorney can potentially help develop a comprehensive defense that you could not manage alone.