Facing child abuse or child endangerment charges can be incredibly distressing. If you, or somebody you love, is facing child abuse and/or endangerment charges in Riverside County, look no further than John L. Michels, criminal defense attorney. By choosing John L. Michels as your criminal defense attorney, you’ll have the best possible chance to get criminal charges reduced or dropped. Working with an experienced, leading Riverside child abuse criminal defense attorney can help you avoid jail, severe fines and penalties.
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Hiring a Riverside Child Abuse Criminal Defense Attorney
Child abuse is one of the most serious crimes you could be charged with in the state of California. If you are facing child abuse charges, it’s crucial to seek expert advice from an experienced child abuse criminal defense attorney as quickly as possible. Child abuse can be a misdemeanor or felony charge depending on the circumstances of your individual case and your criminal history. John L. Michels is a leading child endangerment attorney, serving courthouses in Riverside, Temecula, Murrieta, Banning and Indio. Hiring the best child abuse criminal defense attorney in Riverside County can help you get criminal charges reduced or dropped altogether.
Finding the Best Riverside Child Endangerment Criminal Defense Attorney
If you are facing child endangerment charges in Riverside, the first step is to find the best child endangerment criminal defense attorney. Hiring a top attorney can increase the chances of getting charges reduced or thrown out. Like child abuse, child endangerment can be either a misdemeanor or felony offense. Understanding the differences and having the best criminal defense attorney to fight your corner are essential for fighting charges effectively.
Misdemeanor Child Abuse Lawyer
Child abuse is considered a ‘wobbler’ in California, which means that it can be a misdemeanor or felony charge. If you’re facing misdemeanor child abuse charges, you’ll need to hire a misdemeanor child abuse lawyer.
What is misdemeanor child abuse?
Misdemeanor child abuse is a serious charge, but it is not as severe as felony child abuse. The key difference lies in the terminology within the definition outlined in the California Penal Code 273d(a), which states, “Any person who willfully inflicts upon a child any cruel or inhuman corporal punishment or an injury resulting in a traumatic condition is guilty of a felony.” Child abuse as a misdemeanor charge is characterized by the absence of ‘cruel’ and ‘inhuman.’ The charge will also be classed as a misdemeanor rather than a felony if the child did not experience a ‘traumatic condition.’
Felony Child Abuse Lawyer
Hiring the best felony child abuse lawyer can help you maximize the chances of fighting felony child abuse charges or getting your charge reduced.
What is felony child abuse?
Felony child abuse is the most serious child abuse charge. According to the California Penal Code 273d(a), felony charges involve an individual wilfully inflicting “cruel or inhuman corporal punishment or an injury resulting in a traumatic condition.” As felony child abuse is more serious than misdemeanor child abuse, the penalties are more severe.
Child Abuse Misdemeanor vs. Felony
If you’ve been charged with child abuse, it’s critical to understand the differences between child abuse misdemeanor and child abuse felony. A child abuse felony carries more severe penalties than a misdemeanor. It is applied when the individual is deemed to have inflicted “cruel or inhuman corporal punishment or an injury resulting in a traumatic condition.” A misdemeanor charge is less severe. In this case, the defendant is judged not to have displayed “cruel or inhuman” behavior or caused the child trauma.
Penalties for child abuse felony include jail sentences of up to six years with the option to add four years if this is a second offense. If the child experiences severe, traumatic injuries, including paralysis, the sentence can be increased from between 25 years to life behind bars. For child abuse misdemeanors, penalties include up to one year in a county jail and/or a fine of up to $6,000.
Is child neglect a felony or a misdemeanor?
Child neglect is classified as either ‘general’ or ‘severe’ in California. Severe child neglect, which is usually deemed a felony, infers physical harm and exposure to situations where a child’s health and safety are put at risk willfully. If you display negligence without causing physical harm or willfully allowing or causing neglect, you will be charged with general child neglect, which is a misdemeanor.
How to Get a Child Endangerment Charge Dropped
The best way to get a child endangerment charge dropped or reduced is to hire the best criminal defense child endangerment attorney. There are several factors to assess when exploring child endangerment and abuse charges, including:
- The defendant’s intentions
- The parent’s right to discipline their child within reasonable parameters
- The authenticity of the claim
- The strength and credibility of the evidence
- The role of the defendant: The charges may be dropped if the child was in somebody else’s care when the incident occurred and the defendant had no reason to suspect the individual would hurt or harm the child
Conclusion
Child abuse and endangerment are sensitive subjects. These are serious charges, which can be incredibly distressing for individuals and their families. If you’ve been charged with child abuse or endangerment, it’s crucial to understand the law and the differences between misdemeanor and felony charges and seek expert advice from experienced child abuse criminal defense attorneys.
John L. Michels is the top child abuse criminal defense attorney in Riverside County. To get help and discuss your case in detail, contact the experienced team today to schedule a free consultation.
