Working Through the Issues Raised in a PINS Petition
New York State PINS cases occupy something like a midpoint between juvenile criminal proceedings and family court cases. The main point of a PINS petition is to determine whether a child under age 18 is a Person In Need of Supervision — PINS.
If you're the parent of a child whose behavior, school record or pattern of disobedience might require intervention, you can benefit from the advice of a lawyer with decades of experience in both family and criminal cases. Contact me, Jim Wagman, at the Catskill law firm of James M. Wagman, Attorney at Law.
Call 866-901-8742 for Advice About PINS Cases in Greene County
PINS cases are often used as a way to focus a family's attention on the needs of a young person who appears to be headed for trouble, or who might have even arrived there already. Simply put, a PINS petition is a request to a judge to do something about a young person's bad behavior without filing formal criminal charges.
The petitioner in a PINS case might be a school, a law enforcement officer, a social worker or even a parent or guardian. Truancy, drug abuse, curfew violations, disobedience or signs of violent conduct can result in a PINS petition. The court hears a PINS case in two phases — first to determine whether the child committed the alleged acts or requires supervision, and if necessary to decide what measures might work best for the child and the family. Foster care or even detention are possible outcomes of PINS hearings.
My goal in a PINS case is to work with your entire family to make sure that the result matches your own objectives and needs as you understand them. Most of my clients try to get access to effective counseling services or treatment programs as an alternative to foster care or other placements outside the home. If you're not sure about the services that might work best in your situation, my familiarity with the resources in Greene County can give you a better idea of the possibilities.
I represent the parents who need to come up with productive alternatives to out-of-home placement. Once in a while, I can file a PINS petition on behalf of a parent concerned about losing control of a child.
I also represent parents in child protection cases involving allegations of abuse or neglect. To learn how my experience can help point the way toward a favorable outcome in your situation, contact me at the office of James M. Wagman, Attorney at Law, in Catskill.
