Court cases involving your children can be really scary things. Whether it’s a child custody situation, your kid has been charged with a crime, or your child has been hurt or otherwise wronged, being informed, understanding the law, hiring a good lawyer, and supporting your child are the top things you can do to navigate the process. If your child has to go to court for any reason at all and you aren’t where to start, read on.
Seeking Legal Advice
Maybe your teenage child has been hurt on the job. Calling Chicago workers compensation lawyer or any local personal injury firm may be a good place to start. They can help you make sense of a workers’ compensation claim and also give you some pointers about things like medical bills and paperwork you’ll need to prove your child is an injured worker.
If your child has been charged with a crime, it’s important to hire a criminal defense attorney who will work in their best interest to defend them at court. If you can’t afford this, a public defender will be appointed but one idea to consider is calling a legal aid for a pro bono attorney. They are often willing to take on cases for children for free or at reduced costs.
If your matter involves the family courts, consider hiring a guardian ad litem who will work as an advocate for your child. This person will work to help your child through the court process and can even make recommendations to the court about your kid’s best interest.
If felony charges are at stake, it’s particularly important you call a law firm now for a defense attorney and get as much information as you can. Most will offer a free consultation. Getting as informed as possible now will pay off down the road. Calling for a consultation can’t hurt but trying to handle the situation yourself will.
Staying Calm
Before you rush off to google everything you ever wanted to know about criminal defense lawyers, take a deep breath and do your best to stay calm. Getting freaked out early on won’t help the situation and your anxiety will rub off onto your child. The best possible outcome will come when you and your child are calm.
If your child is experiencing anxiety, remind them of their strengths and do what you can to remind them that kids make mistakes. Being negative or scaring them won’t help when getting through the legal system. If you can’t do this on your own, consider getting your child into counseling. You may want to consider it for yourself too.
Communicating with Professionals
The court is obviously different and much more serious than normal parental concerns like how to make the next parent-teacher conference a success. But that doesn’t mean you and your child won’t make it through this easily. One way you can help, if your child is younger, is to communicate with their teachers.
Stress from the situation will make your child distracted in school. Especially if your child is a defendant, you’ll want your child’s teacher to know what’s going on for minimal academic damage to your child’s progress in school. The best way to handle this is with a simple phone call. You don’t need to give them all the details but communicating with teachers, therapists, and other professionals will help.
While no two situations are the same and court is intimidating for people of any age, the best thing a parent can do to help their child navigate an upcoming court case is to get them the professional help and tools they need. Listening, validating their fears, and going with them will all help, too. The calmer you appear to them, the better you’ll help them get through.