Juvenile cases characteristically fall into two areas. One category involves issues with the children such as delinquency and status offenses,
while the other deals with parental problems, when the Georgia Department of Family and Children Services petitions for deprivation.
Regardless of the juvenile matter with which you and your family must cope, there is no substitute for trusted legal advice and guidance to help you maneuver though unfamiliar proceedings.
Deprivation
In Georgia, when a child is neglected, abused, left without proper parental control, education as required by law or care necessary for physical, mental or emotional or morals, he/she can be found to be deprived. Any person who has knowledge of negative conditions affecting a child can file a deprivation action. The Department of Family and Children Services (DFCS) may also take action in deprivation cases, if they receive a report or claim of child neglect or abuse.
DFCS gets involved with a family and usually attempts to work with them before court. If DFCS steps into your life, it is an important time to have a lawyer to make sure you understand your rights and do not feel pressured by DFCS. Because DFCS doesn't always give parents all the options that are available to them, having an attorney who is familiar with all the available options is imperative to enable you to make informed decisions. The ultimate goal in hiring an attorney early in deprivation cases is to prevent DFCS from taking a child into custody and prevent your case from going to court. It is also important for parents to be aware that there are grounds for deprivation that are no fault of the parent such as inability to meet the special mental health needs of the child.
Typical grounds for deprivation include:
- Unresolved Substance Abuse Issues
- Unstable Housing
- Unstable Employment
- Failure to Protect from Domestic Violence
- Emotional and/or Physical Abuse
- Inability to Meet a Child's Special Mental Health Needs
Juvenile Delinquency (Criminal Defense)
For a discussion concerning matters invovling juvenile delinquency, please visit our page concerning criminal matters.
More Than Forty Years of Combined Experience on Your Side
If your child is facing juvenile criminal charges and you would like to discuss your options, please call (706) 543-4708 or contact the North Georgia law firm of Durden & Mills, PC. We look forward to helping you solve your legal problems.
