If you’ve been charged with child abuse in Colorado, you need immediate legal representation from an experienced attorney who understands the law.
These cases are unique in that they involve broad statutory language and are exceptionally emotionally charged — two factors that present a serious challenge to the accused. Moreover, your reputation and good social standing are on the line.
The outcome of your case could also have a long-lasting impact on your family relationships and the custody of your children. It is in your best interest to seek experienced and compassionate counsel from a Colorado criminal defense lawyer as soon as possible.
The attorneys at Wolf Law understand that these charges aren’t always what they seem. Good and honest people, including spectacular parents, are often caught up in unfair child abuse charges. They deserve zealous advocacy, both inside and outside the courtroom.
Wolf Law’s experienced Denver child abuse defense attorneys can provide an aggressive legal defense to minimize the potential penalties in your case and preserve your good name.
Even if you have been wrongfully accused, attempting to defend these charges on your own is a serious mistake. This page will explain the very high stakes involved — stakes that demand professional attention and an unflinching defense.
But an unflinching defense in a child abuse case doesn’t mean no holds barred. Your defense needs a level of tact as some situations during the trial are less than ideal.
A 2004 Supreme Court ruling changed the way child abuse cases are tried. Defendants have the right to hear claims against them in court, meaning an accuser as young as four years old may have to testify. It’s a delicate situation the defense attorneys at Wolf Law know how to navigate.
Attorney Jeffrey Wolf talks about his approach to this situation in an article for 5280 Magazine.
“You can’t go in all guns blazing,” says Wolf. “The best word for it is ‘icky.’ It’s not appropriate, and it’s not what the jury wants to see.”
Don’t trust your life in the hands of an inexperienced lawyer, much less fate. If ever there were a time to hire the best available attorney, it is now. Our lawyers have years of experience handling these cases and understand prosecutors’ and juries’ approach. We will wholeheartedly dedicate ourselves to your defense.
You are not helpless against a family member’s claims or a prosecutor’s charges. Wolf Law is here to help you.
Exaggerated or Dishonest Child Abuse Charges in Colorado
For example, a family member might make a false accusation out of anger during a domestic dispute. In other cases, children may miscommunicate the details of their experiences, due to either confusion or manipulated memory. Children sometimes fabricate accusations, as they don’t necessarily appreciate the consequences of their actions.
Likewise, authority figures are often quick to overreact or jump to conclusions. Teachers, babysitters, and other adults can confuse a child’s routine complaints with allegations of abuse. Police and prosecutors sometimes seize overly broad statutory language to trump up a charge of child abuse in Colorado.
In all of these instances, you need a Denver child abuse defense attorney who can effectively illustrate a misunderstanding or a falsehood to the jury.
Acceptable Punishment vs. Child Abuse
While some people oppose corporal punishment (i.e. physical discipline, such as spanking), there is a meaningful distinction between corporal punishment and criminal child abuse.
Authority figures, jury members, and other adults might occasionally disagree with your decision to discipline your child, but it is important that they not conflate discretionary punishment with a charge of child abuse.
While it is never acceptable to cause a child injury or serious pain, innocent parents do not deserve to face exaggerated charges for doing their best to raise their children as they see fit.
If you believe that you acted within your rights under the law in providing discipline to a child, and if you are now facing a wrongful charge of child abuse as a result, an experienced Denver child abuse defense attorney can help to protect you.
How a Colorado Criminal Defense Attorney from Wolf Law Can Help
Our defense attorneys are effective at setting emotions aside in a courtroom and helping juries reach a sober decision based on the facts and the law. After all, your life, your family, and your future on the line. You deserve to be treated rationally, fairly, and with respect for your love for your child.
Even if you did make a mistake in over-correcting your child in the heat of the moment, you deserve the very best defense. Otherwise outstanding parents should not have to pay for a single mistake for years to come. An attorney can help.
The rules of evidence are very important in Colorado child abuse cases. The prosecution often tries to introduce misleading or irrelevant evidence about a defendant’s past in order to sway a jury. Fortunately, the judge has considerable discretion in deciding whether to allow such evidence.
Relying on years of experience and in-depth understanding of the state and federal rules of evidence, the lawyers at Wolf Law will fight to prevent unfair evidence from entering into your case.
The precise statutory language matters too. “Child abuse” is a broad and ambiguous term. Unfortunately, Colorado’s statutes can be just as ambiguous. You need a lawyer who can persuasively shine a light on those ambiguities and help a jury understand when a prosecutor is stretching a statute too far (as is often the case).
These charges are not hopeless. You can win. But victory requires a knowledgeable, strategic, and aggressive defense. Choosing the right Colorado criminal defense lawyer makes all the difference.
Contact a Denver Child Abuse Defense Attorney Soon as Possible
A child abuse charge can have lifelong implications for your freedom, your family, your visitation / custody rights, your ability to hold a job, and the way that the rest of the world sees you. Your whole life is on the line.
Police, prosecutors, judges, and juries take these cases very seriously. Indeed, child abuse is one of the most serious criminal charges you can face in Colorado. Allegations may range from municipal infractions to misdemeanors or even felonies. Regardless of the nature of the charge, you should take the allegations extremely seriously.
Our defense lawyers have years of experience in defending those accused of child abuse throughout the Denver metro and the entire state of Colorado. When you contact Wolf Law, you can count on compassionate and comprehensive representation.
If you have been charged with criminal child abuse and need an excellent Colorado criminal defense lawyer, please contact Wolf Law for a free consultation right away. Time matters, so don’t delay.