“Will my son have to go to jail for this?”
“My daughter’s too young to be behind bars! Can’t you do something to keep her out?”
“Isn’t there some kind of program the court offers to juveniles?”
When their children get into trouble with the law, most of us parents are concerned about what happens to their child. It’s entirely legitimate – parents love their kids and even when their children screw up in a big, bad way, they still want to protect them from the harsh realities of the world. However, once the dust has settled and the case is on it’s way, many parents begin to wonder about the fall out from their kid’s poor choices. And specifically, how it could impact them as parents directly.
How do a child’s crimes impact their parents?
There are financial consequences:
There are many ways that a child’s criminal behaviors affect their families. The cost of court fees, fines and lawyer’s bills can leave parents with very depleted rainy day funds. According to Michigan law, parents may be required to pay damages up to $2,500 when a minor child living with them commits a crime. This would include the willful or malicious destruction of personal or private property, or intentional bodily injury to another person.
There are emotional consequences:
Another factor parents need to be aware of is the stress and frustration that comes with walking with your child through the criminal justice system. Marriages have fallen apart due to the emotional difficulties of having a child in juvie, and many parents have found themselves in therapy while they try to manage turbulent relationships with their out-of-control children. It may not be a tangible consequence, but it can have an impact on their health and wellbeing, so you should be aware of it. Certainly there are significant financial consequences if the parent chooses to hire a top criminal defense attorney to help protect their child.
There are legal consequences:
One of the consequences that many parents don’t stop to consider is the possibility of legal backlash. In some cases parents may face criminal charges as a result of their children’s illegal actions. Specifically, according to the Michigan State Police, if a minor causes harm as a result of using a gun that was unlawfully stored in their parent (or guardian’s) home. In those cases, parents are considered to be directly liable for the child having access to the firearm, and they might be charged with a serious crime under Michigan law.
Make sure you protect yours, and your child’s rights!
If your child has been arrested for property damage or any kind of violent crime, it’s critical that you contact an experienced Michigan criminal defense attorney immediately. You’ll need the help of someone with lots of successful experience protecting the rights of parents and minors, which is why you should call 866 766 5245 (866 7No Jail) right now.
Talk to someone at The Kronzek Firm. Our tenacious and hard working criminal defense trial team spent decades helping the people of Michigan defend their rights, and we’re very good at it. So don’t settle for less than the best, or you’ll regret it. Our reputation and track record speaks volumes about us.