Comments on: “Hard lemonade, hard price”

By: Jason

Jason — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 21:03:42 +0000

A very silly removal…

Is there no right to an attorney in child neglect cases in Michigan? There is in many other states. Parents who can’t afford them (virtually all of them) are provided attorneys by the court. Or was this just a compliment to the clinic? (Not undeserved, certainly.)

By: Sally Borghese

Sally Borghese — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 08:12:58 +0000

WAKE UP AMERICA! THE GOVERNMENT WANTS TO RAISE YOUR CHILDREN. ESPECIALLY IN MICHIGAN.

YOU ARE NOT CAPABLE!!

By: Michael

Michael — Fri, 02 May 2008 04:35:01 +0000

Congratulate the kid for being able to down that hard lemonade at the age of seven!

By: MikeB

MikeB — Thu, 01 May 2008 00:53:22 +0000

Hopefully one of the attorneys here can answer a question I have always had. What happens when these upper middle class familes simply move to another state and ignore the original state’s CPS?

I don’t have any children, but if I did, this seemed like a viable option.

By: SPO

SPO — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 16:32:43 +0000

When I read stories like this, I think about the tree of liberty being refreshed . . . .

This is tyranny.

By: ras

ras — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:27:48 +0000

Logical progression: “Did you know there are trans-fats in the hot dog you gave to your son, sir? Boy, come with me!”

By: Bill Poser

Bill Poser — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:22:30 +0000

Leaving aside the fact that giving the child the drink was apparently an innocent mistake, what basis would Child Protective Services have had for apprehending him even if it had been intentional? I don’t know Michigan law, but as far as I know in every state it is legal for a minor to consume alcohol if the parent gives it to him. A 12 oz “hard lemonade” contains about the same amount of alcohol as a typical 5 oz. glass of wine. That is a bit more than one might give a 7 year old, but nowhere near dangerous.

By: Fern

Fern — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:03:59 +0000

Luckily the Ratte family has faculty friends to bring his son home expeditiously.

A Washington, DC couple recently experienced a similar, bureaucratic response by DHS when they brought their infant to a hospital.

Taking a child from his home should be a last resort. Apparently DHS has now become notorious for removals that are out of control.

Illinois residents who would like to meet with attorneys concerning DCFS should meet in Chicago, April 30

See: http://www.familydefensecenter.net/

Illinois attorneys are pursing the cert of the suit:

Dupuy v McElwee formerly known as Dupuy v Samuels to the USSC.

Meeting’s topic is parent empowerment. Solutions with deal with DCFS in IL and allied matters.

By: Deoxy

Deoxy — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:45:11 +0000

“Some policy proposals are for taxpayers to fund attorneys to defend parents victimized by Child Protective Services”

[i]victimized[/i] is certainly the right word. I have now had several friends (5 that I can think of off the top of my head) have dealings with CPS over the years from several different perspectives (including a preschool owner who tried to report some legitimate issues), and not one of them has been handled justly. In fact, only one of them was handled in a way that should not result in jail time and a criminal record.

That’s a pretty miserable track record.