Lexington, South Carolina: Child Abuse and Neglect Cases

Lexington, South Carolina, Child Abuse & Neglect Defense

If you stand accused of child abuse or child neglect, the chances are high that you are caught up in the criminal justice system, where you face criminal charges for child abuse.

At the same time as the criminal case proceeds, the South Carolina Department of Social Services will also bring an action against you to remove your child from your "custody and control."

At the Law Office of Richard J. Breibart, LLC, we have experience representing parents and grandparents in Department of Social Services — or DSS —-- child abuse and neglect proceedings. We provide cost-efficient representation in several different ways to parents who are caught up in DSS proceedings:

• Advice and representation during a DSS investigation: If the DSS has information that a child is being abused and neglected, it will investigate. You have the right to representation by an attorney during that investigation. The outcome of the investigation may be either removal of your child from the home or development of a "safety plan," which specifies actions you must take to keep your child safe and keep custody of your child.
• Advice and representation during a "probable cause" or "72-hour" hearing: If your child is taken into emergency protective custody, DSS must hold a hearing within 72 hours, when a judge will determine whether there is probable cause to believe that abuse or neglect occurred.
• Advice and representation at the  "removal" hearing: A removal hearing is where a judge decides whether the child should be removed from your home either permanently or until you can complete specific steps as outlined by the court (for example, drug or alcohol rehab or parenting classes).
• Guidance and representation during completion of the "safety plan" or "placement plan": If the judge requires you to comply with a safety plan or a placement plan, our law firm will help you find and complete the necessary programs that will help you regain custody of — or visitation with — your child.

Free In-Person Consultations ∙ Evening and Weekend Appointments

If you are under investigation for child abuse or neglect, or if your child has already been removed from your home, you may want to seek legal advice as soon as possible. The DSS will give you information about the process and will help you find social services to help you regain custody of your child. However, the DSS is not your advocate.

We also represent the interests of grandparents or a close relative who would like to pursue an intervention and assume temporary custody.

At the Law Office of Richard J. Breibart, LLC, our knowledgeable lawyers have experience working with the DSS and representing parents in danger of losing their parental rights. We encourage you to contact our office to schedule a free, in-person consultation.

If your work or child care schedule keeps you from a daytime meeting, we may have appointments available in the early mornings, evenings, or on the weekends.

Call us locally at 803-753-1832 or toll-free at 877-754-1510. Or send us an e-mail