How a Lawyer Could Help in Frederick County Child Endangerment Cases

Someone facing a risk of injury to a minor charge in Frederick County should contact a child endangerment lawyer right away. Any allegation involving a child as a victim is taken extremely seriously by the state’s prosecutors and judges, so having a dedicated child endangerment attorney guide you through the process could safeguard your rights and potentially lead to a better outcome. Crimes involving children as victims carry a large stigma so prosecutors and judges may punish far more harshly and be more punitive.

Corporal Punishment and Physical Discipline in Frederick County

Corporal punishment is permitted within certain parameters. Those parameters require that, first, the action is for a disciplinary purpose and that it is reasonable in force so as to not leave any permanent injuries, marks, or risk serious injuries. There is no bright-line rule of what is and is not allowed, just general guidelines. Parents must be extraordinarily careful when imposing any corporal punishment because they even if they are ultimately successful in establishing it was corporal punishment, to have the Department of Social Services (DSS), Child Protective Services (CPS), the courts, and prosecutors nosing around in their family affairs is never a fun endeavor.

In Maryland, there are two entities that respond to claims of risk of injury to a minor in Frederick County. There is the Department of Social Services (DSS), but with children, it is Child Protective Services (CPS).

Child Endangerment Court Process

Following a risk of injury to a minor arrest in Frederick County, a person is taken to a local precinct,  booked, and processed. Eventually, they will be taken to a commissioner to be evaluated for release. If they are a flight risk, a danger to other people, or have a high probability of reoffending, they may be held in jail until a judge determines otherwise.

If they are denied release or cannot procure their release by bail bond after meeting with the commissioner, then they may have to wait for a bail review in front of a judge the next business day. There, their attorney could advocate for their release and negotiate for favorable conditions if a judge deems certain provisions necessary. Attempting to face this process alone could be very difficult and may lead to a longer time in jail, but handling this type of issue is one of the biggest ways an attorney could help in a Frederick County risk of injury to a minor case.

Letting an Attorney Help Defendants Through Court

From the very outset, an attorney can be helpful in a case involving children. First, they could help procure your release, all the way to defending you at court in trial and serving as an intermediary. Prosecutors cannot talk to defendants once they have retained a defense lawyer and your attorney could listen to all the facts of the case and start building an effective strategy. Find out how a lawyer could help in Frederick County child endangerment cases today by calling to schedule a consultation.