• What Happens to My Child While I’m in Prison?

    Parents who are or may be incarcerated both share a concern about what happens to their child while they are in jail and how their arrest may affect their parental rights. The main concern may be whether the parent’s new criminal record may influence CPS’s ability to take their children. The short answer is no.…

  • CPS Came Knocking At Your Door. Don’t Panic!

    All Michigan parents know the difficulties faced when getting your child out the door in the morning to go to school. Every parent knows that early bedtimes when the kids are sick can take forever. Every mom and dad has struggled to make it to soccer practice on time.  Imagine being in one of these…

  • How Long Can A CPS Investigation Be Open?

    Children’s Protective Services, or CPS, cannot remove a child in the State of Michigan without a court order unless there are emergency circumstances. In those cases, a police officer must be present for the removal and a hearing must be held within 24 hours of the removal.   As an internal policy, a CPS investigation…

  • The Movement to Quickly Report Child Abuse … Are There Downsides?

    Here in Michigan and nationally, there have been increased measures taken to protect children from neglect and abuse. Keeping children safe is of course a priority, but there is one growing consequence of this movement – falsely accused parents. Our team of experienced CPS defense attorneys sees increasing numbers of false accusations of child abuse…

  • Michigan’s Newest Mandatory Reporters

    There is growing concern right here in Michigan, and nationally, about unreported sexual abuse or neglect, specifically in children. In an effort to protect those victims, Michigan law will now make physical and occupational therapists and athletic trainers mandatory reporters of reasonably suspected child abuse or neglect.  Michigan’s Child Protection Law designates certain professionals as…

  • Desperation Without Dignity: Just One More Reason to Keep Families Together!

    If we’ve said it once, we’ve said it a thousand times – taking kids away from their families only to abandon them in youth homes is a terrible idea! And this report by a federally mandated watchdog group, the National Disability Rights Network, only serves to prove our point: Families should be supported in place,…

  • What Happens After Someone Reports Child Abuse to The Authorities? (Pt 2)

    Hello there and welcome back. We’ve been discussing what happens after someone calls the authorities and reports suspected child abuse or neglect, and what takes place after the report has been made. As we mentioned in the previous article, regardless of who you report to, in the end the cops are told.  And if CPS…

  • What Happens After Someone Reports Child Abuse to The Authorities? (Pt 1)

    We do all sorts of things in our daily lives, without ever stopping to wonder what happens after the small role we played in the process. Throw something into your trash can, and at the end of the week, set it out at the curb and never give it a second thought? Have you ever…

  • Did You Think CPS Only Takes Kids Away From Abusive Parents? Think Again! (Pt 2)

    Welcome back and thanks for joining us again for this look at why CPS removes kids from their homes, and why it’s not always for the reasons you’d think. As we mentioned in the previous article, most people think CPS workers only take children from abusive parents. And that certainly happens – we’ll be the…

  • Did You Think CPS Only Takes Kids Away From Abusive Parents? Think Again! (Pt 1)

    Most people think of CPS workers as angels who swoop in to save children from horribly abusive homes. From negligent or violent parents who aren’t fit to care for them. And in some cases they’re right. But that certainly isn’t the only time CPS removes a kid from their family. Sometimes it’s for something far…