Q: Facing child abuse charges with CPS involvement. Need legal guidance.
I'm facing a child abuse case, accused of 3rd-degree abuse, and there's a warrant out for my arrest. CPS has already removed my children from my home, and I'm currently involved in court proceedings with CPS. I haven't consulted with a lawyer yet, but I urgently need one before taking further action, particularly with a new warrant issued by the police. What should I do next, and how can a lawyer assist with both the child abuse case and the CPS involvement?
A:
You will likely need two lawyers. While probably related, a CPS case and criminal case are legally very different with different burdens of proof. What you'll need to do in a CPS case is different than what you'll need to do in a criminal case. Because of that, most lawyers would not be good choices to handle both matters.
Since you are already in CPS proceedings, you should already have a lawyer for that, or the court can appoint one for you. For your criminal case, I would contact a criminal lawyer ASAP to help you turn yourself in and set a bond so that you can be promptly released. You do not want to wait to be picked up on the warrant because it will happen at some point and probably at a time you can least afford it.
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