Sign Nothing, Without An Attorney Present
I just heard from an attorney who wrote this:
“The issue is this: by the time they call me, it’s too late, they signed the form. Once they sign the form, the case is over. If there was one thing I could tattoo onto every parent’s arm, it would be this: SIGN NOTHING WITHOUT AN ATTORNEY PRESENT.”
And to that, I’d add: Be sure the attorney is working in your best interest, and not for the county that seeks to oppress you.
If you sign a plea of any type in the juvenile court hearing, you’ll be giving up your right to a trial. Often the court appointed attorneys won’t tell you this. They don’t want a trial because it is a lot more work for the same amount of pay. The caseworkers don’t want a trial because they’d have to *prove* their case rather than just make allegations in their “social worker report” to the court.
If you’ve already made the mistake of signing a plea or stipulation in court, do everything you’re court ordered to do, plus write a declaration explaining your side of the case ***but, write nothing self-incriminatory*** and collect documentary evidence that you’ve completed the court-ordered services, and anything else that you can come up with that proves you’re a good parent. One single mother got ten children returned by the court after she showed the judge photographs of her home with beds ready for all the children. So, get busy on that evidence! You will need to share that with your attorney before court.
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