Juvenile Criminal Actions
Our attorneys have practiced extensively defending youth offenders charged with various offenses including:
It is never easy when a child finds himself in the Juvenile Justice System. Not only is it scary and stressful for the child, but it is just as such for the parents of the child charged with a crime. The attorneys of De Renzo Durrett understand the stress and fear associated with children in the criminal justice system. We can help from the very first stages of this process to completion of the case. Typically, when a child is charged with a crime, he or she will have an appointment with court support personnel to determine whether the County Attorney's Office has decided to require the child's presence in Court. If the child must appear in Court, then there will be an arraignment date and at least one pretrial court date, depending on the allegations against the child. The attorneys of De Renzo Durrett are well versed in handling these matters and in navigating this process for families. Let the attorneys of De Renzo Durrett help your family through what can be a very scary process.
Child Protective Service Cases
Actions instituted by CPS are called "Dependency, Neglect, and Abuse Actions." Dependency actions are civil actions instituted by the Cabinet for Families and Children that require services and/or oversight. "Dependency" actions involve investigations and findings that surround the circumstances of the child's upbringing like lack of basic needs--plumbing, food, electricity, exposure to domestic violence, etc. Neglect and abuse actions involve intentional acts of a parent or guardian that harm or pose a risk of harm to a child--physical abuse, failure to provide medical care, drug use during pregnancy, etc.
The primary focus of the Dependency, Neglect and Abuse system is to provide safe environments for the children of the Commonwealth. While the goal of the system is reunification through education and providing of services to the family, it may be necessary that a child be removed from a parent temporarily and sometimes permanently. If you have been informed of a CPS investigation or filing of an action, do NOT take it lightly. It is important that you contact an attorney who has experience in these type of actions. Our attorneys serve as court appointed advocates for parents and children in Jefferson County. We have handled numerous dependency, neglect and abuse actions for parents, children and custodians. We understand the dependency, neglect and abuse system. We can help you navigate it.