Question about court with juvenile child, please help?

Question

My son 15 has been in trouble with courts for over a year now. He has only been able to stay out of the detention center for about 2 1/2 months since last year. He has lots of behavior problems. We have been working very close with counslers and physcharists , he has gone back to court and they are going to place him in a state residential placement. What are my rights as his parent, I haven't done anything so how does that affect me as his parent? I mean do I have any say in where he goes , or have any say in a treament purposes, ect? I am just trying to figure out if i need to hire a laywer, to keep certain type of rights like approving of medicine being contacted before any type of surgeries, or you know just parent things. We live in michigan.. Please help...

Answer 1

Once they get to that point you don't really have much say.  You can speak up in court and give an opinion but you won't be given much rights.  You will be allowed visits but they may even have you start to pay support for him being there.  My stepmom went through a similar situation with her son.  He faced going too a special home too and she was told she would need to pay so much support per month and that she would be contacted before any medication changes or if he was taken to the hospital or anything like that and she would still have rights over what surgeries happen and stuff like that but he would be under their control and their rules.  I would get a lawyer for your son who can also advise you of your rights as well.  Really though you are lucky, my uncle actually had to go to jail because his 15 year old son got into trouble with the law and they have a law that basically says if your child breaks a law you can go to jail too, that includes if they are guilty of truiancy (missing to much school with no Dr's excuses....)

Answer 2

Be there for him.  Get a lawyer ASAP. He may have some issues, but leaving him in the "system" will mess him up for life!