Getting wrongly accused of child abuse can be a devastating, stressful situation. Apart from the emotional pain caused by the thought alone, you’ll also suffer other consequences — including being frowned upon by other parents or even by your relatives. This is why getting help from a child welfare attorney Vero Beach FL is necessary.
What Can Prompt Someone to File a Child Custody Case?
People who file a child custody case typically do so because of child abuse. However, this can also involve other reasons — like failing to abide by the initial custody rules made to govern couples who have gone separate ways.
According to experts in child welfare Vero Florida FL, you can also get falsely accused if the other party claims that you have falsified the legal documents you used in your case.
What Can You Do To Defend Yourself?
From gathering proof to hiring a child welfare attorney Vero Beach FL to being mindful about your behavior — here are the best things you can do to defend yourself from child abuse accusations.
Cooperate with the investigation but know your rights. The poignant reality is, Child Protection Services (CPS) agents are vigilant about things you do — they are there to find things that support the child abuse accusation filed against you. However, this doesn’t warrant you to not cooperate with them. You have to know your rights in order to defend yourself while cooperating throughout the investigation process.
Enlist help from a competent lawyer. With the abovementioned premise, it’s a necessity to seek legal guidance that will help you navigate through the complicated process of defending yourself against wrongful accusations. A lawyer that specializes in child welfare Vero Beach FL can help you appear cooperative while building a strong case that will free you from baseless accusations.
Gather strong pieces of evidence. For your lawyer to effectively defend you, you have to have compelling pieces of evidence that will support your side of the story.
Present alibi that will create reasonable doubt — or better yet, negate what the other party is saying about you. For instance, if the “child abuse” that was said to occur at a certain date happened to take place while you’re actually having dinner with your colleagues — you can present a receipt of that meal before the court. You can even have one of your colleagues as your witness.
Present possible motives why you’re being wrongly accused. To further make your argument more compelling, you have to expose the possible motives why the other party is accusing you. If your former partner is known to be manipulative, bring a witness who can attest to that tendency or behavior.
Act appropriately especially when you’re around your children. To prevent this stressful situation from happening again, you have to be careful when you’re dealing with your children or with your former partner. And as an added measure, make it a habit to keep records of important information and details.
