Once you take your child to school, you expect them to learn and coexist safely with teachers and fellow students, but that is not always the situation. Disagreements between students occur and, in extreme cases, may result in school fights.
The fight may not end with the school administration solving it; the parents of the injured student can go ahead and file school assault charges. If you find yourself in such a situation, you will need a lawyer to represent your child in court, advises a juvenile attorney here in Albuquerque.
So what next after your child engages in a fight that leads to assault charges? As a parent with a child facing assault charges, there are two possible scenarios when you go to court.
- The child facing juvenile criminal offense charges: Most schools take violence at school seriously. And, if your child is found responsible for their actions, the judge will charge them with a criminal offense.
- You will be accountable for your child’s behaviors: The court can charge you with parental liability. That means that the judge will consider you responsible for the actions of your child and charge you with the same. In such a situation, you will compensate the parents of the injured child.
Don’t you think your child could cause violence? It is possible
As a parent, only you are best placed to know your child. So, if you are in doubt that your child could have caused the fight, it is highly possible that you are right; your child could be innocent or fought back in self-defense. Whichever the case, you need a lawyer to defend your child.
How will the attorney help?
The lawyer will engage your child on what happened before, during, and after the fight. The attorney can then match what the child says with other tangible evidence to determine whether your child was in self-defense. It is the responsibility of your lawyer to talk to other involved parties or look for evidence such as videos or photos.
Also, if you are facing parent liability or when your child is meeting juvenile criminal offense charges, consult an experienced juvenile attorney to represent you in court and help you win the case.