Sex Offenses & Domestic Violence
Mental Health Cases
CPS Investigations & Dependencies
Child Abuse & Assault of a Child
Juvenile Defense Cases
No Contact & Protection Orders
Federal Defense
Child Abuse & Assault of a Child
In order to protect this defenseless population, law enforcement and prosecutors make these cases a high priority and devote extensive resources to investigating them. These cases are often the most traumatic event a parent will ever go through.
When representing a parent accused of child abuse, it is critical to understand how CPS, hospital staff and law enforcement work on these cases. It is also critical to have a detailed understanding on how hospitals and medical providers can make these allegations. Michele has a great deal of experience in working with CPS and mandatory reporters. If you have been contacted by CPS, contact Michele to represent you. She has been very successful in her aggressive defense on these cases.
Child Abuse & Discipline
How far is too far when disciplining a child? Washington’s laws include strict and narrow definitions of what type of physical punishment is permitted. What may have been acceptable physical discipline a generation ago is potentially criminal behavior now.
Physical discipline of a child, including corporal punishment, is not considered abuse when it is reasonable, moderate, and inflicted by a parent or guardian for the purposes of restraining or correcting the child. Ultimately, if a case of child discipline goes to trial, the jury will be charged with determining whether the forced used, when viewed objectively, was reasonable and moderate.
Abusive Discipline
Certain discipline tactics are presumed abusive. These include:
- Throwing, kicking, burning, or cutting a child
- Striking a child with a closed fist
- Shaking a child under the age of 3
- Interfering with a child’s breathing
- Threatening a child with a deadly weapon
- Leaving a mark on a child that is more than transitory