Welcome back, we’re glad you’re taking the time to read this and prepare yourself, should CPS ever end up on your doorstep. As we pointed out in the previous article, many innocent families get investigated by CPS. And when CPS shows up at your house, they’re not there to determine if you’re guilty of abuse or neglect. They’re there because they already assume you’re guilty, and they’re trying to figure out exactly how bad the situation is, and what they will need to do to rectify it.

Because so many parents don’t realize that many times they’re already guilty in the eyes of CPS, even before they’ve been accused of a crime, they start out by trying to explain. Trying to make sense of the accusations against them, which they can only assume are a misunderstanding. And so they rationalize, and hypothesize. And in the end they talk themselves into a trap that they can’t get out of. Which is why we’ve made you this list – so you can be properly prepared if you ever end up under the CPS microscope.

3. Find out everything you can about the allegations and charges.

Ask questions. If you are being accused of a crime, or there are allegations against you, you need to find out as much as you can about them. If possible, find out what you are being accused of doing (or not doing). The times, dates and locations of the alleged incident help as well. Where did it happen? Who saw it, and what is supposed to have happened?

The CPS worker will try to avoid answering your questions, and will give you as little information as possible because it doesn’t serve their purposes for you to be informed. Many of them hope that the less you know, the more you’ll try to guess at what might have brought them to your doorstep, and your guessing game will provide them with lots of ammo! However federal law requires that they tell you the exact details of the accusations when they first contact you, so don’t fall for vague generalizations and legal sounding dismissals. You have a right to know! And the more you know right from the start, the better equipped you and your attorney will be to fight the accusations!

4. Always be as polite and respectful as possible to CPS workers!

This may sound like a ridiculous statement, after everything else we’ve told you about CPS, but it’s actually very important! If a CPS worker shows up on your doorstep, you better believe they think you’re guilty of being a bad parent in some way or another. By yelling at them, calling them names, threatening them or cursing at them, you are simply confirming their suspicions. And that’s the last thing you want to do!

DO NOT give them a reason to accuse you of having a violent temper, or being unreasonable. You may be justifiably angry and frightened, but DO NOT take it out on a CPS worker. It will only make you look uncontrolled, violent and more like an abusive parent. Be polite, respectful and firm with them. Don’t raise your voice, call them names, or threaten them, as you’ll just be handing them the rope they need to hang you with!

Do you need help from an experienced CPS defense attorney in Michigan?

Battling CPS is an exhausting and frightening process. They have less supervision than police officers, and more freedoms. They are not required to follow the same laws during their investigations as the police, and they can add your name to the state child abuser list without ever having convicted you of a crime. All in all, you have a very good reason to be afraid. But there is hope!

If you or a loved one have been accused of neglecting or abusing a child, then you are going to need help from a highly skilled and experienced attorney – one who’s spent decades fighting CPS and knows how to beat them at their own game. So call The Kronzek Firm immediately at 866 766 5245 to discuss your case with an experienced CPS defense attorney who understands and can help. For those of you trying to stay informed and prepared, join us again next time for the next few items on the list!