Adjudicatory Hearing CPS Investigations for Drug Offenses

If you’ve been accused of manufacturing, selling, or distributing drugs, you’ll need a skilled defense attorney to handle your case. When a parent or legal guardian is accused of committing a drug crime, they could potentially be up against child abuse and neglect charges as well. A CPS investigation on top of a criminal investigation can be overwhelming, even for your defense attorney. It’s important to hire a skilled lawyer with experience handling a criminal case and CPS investigation at the same time.

Adjudication Hearing: Arguably the most pivotal hearing in your case, the adjudication hearing is similar to a trial. CPS and your attorney will both present evidence to the court, who will in turn decide whether or not CPS has provided enough evidence to support the allegations in your petition. If CPS fails to present evidence of your guilt, your case will be dismissed.

The Grabel & Associates team has been working on criminal cases for over 15 years. Our lawyers are recognized as some of Michigan’s top legal minds. When you hire us, you have our knowledge of Michigan law and years of practical experience on your side.

Different Types of Hearings in CPS Cases

Child abuse and neglect cases begin with a CPS investigation. When CPS receives word of a parent or guardian involved in a drug crime case, they will most likely begin looking into the situation within 24 hours. If they find evidence that shows a child was abused or neglected, they may try to remove him or her from their home to prevent any further harm. If a child is removed, the first hearing will take place. There can be as many as five hearings in a CPS case. Your attorney will play a crucial role in all of them, giving you an advantage.

Preliminary Hearing: Within 72 hours of taking your child, CPS will call and inform you of when the preliminary hearing will take place. Since this often happens rather quickly, you may not have had time to hire an attorney yet. If this is the case, it’s important to say as little as possible.

Plea Hearing: After the court has heard what CPS has to say during the preliminary hearing, you will receive a petition that outlines the charges against you. You will have some time to review the information and decide how you want to proceed. At the plea hearing, you will enter your plea and the case will move on.

Review and Dispositional Hearing: The CPS worker handling your case will provide the Court with a plan of action. Since the ultimate goal is to reunite your family, the plan may include counseling or other in home services. You can review the plan with your attorney before the hearing and present any concerns you may have before the judge.

Review Hearings and Permanency Hearings: After six months, the court will examine your case to determine if you are cooperating with the plan of action that was agreed upon. If you are and you show improvement, your child may be returned to your care. If not, it’s possible that your child could be permanently placed with another family. Your attorney will help prepare you for review hearings and permanency hearings to ensure you have the best shot at getting your child or children back.

Keeping Your Family Together is Our Top Priority

At Grabel & Associates, keeping your family together is our top priority. We will do everything in our power to ensure you have a fair shot at a just outcome. The sooner you contact us, the better we can serve you as you navigate your drug crime case and CPS investigation. We’ll begin conducting our own investigation early on and will develop a plan for every hearing in your CPS case so that when the adjudication hearing comes around, we’ll be ready to prove that CPS does not have enough information to warrant action. If you want Michigan’s top defense lawyers fighting on your behalf during your drug crime case, contact Grabel & Associates today.

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It is completely risk-free to take the first step and reach out to our team. Simple fill out our online contact form to receive a free initial case consultation. If you decide to partner with us, you’ll be paired with a lawyer that has experience working on similar cases, giving you the best shot at freedom.