Switching to public defender

[stealth2]

If it were me, I would get him a good attorney - and then make him get a job to pay it off.

And then he'd be spending some time working at the soup kitchen on Christmas.

And that's after he was thoroughly grounded until he's old and gray.

I wouldn't hire him a lawyer.

 

[NellieBly]

I don't think you can foist your child on the taxpayers.

 

[>Charlotte<]

I don't think you can foist your child on the taxpayers.

She's not.

 

[js123]

I don't think you can foist your child on the taxpayers.

No, I'm not trying to foist him on to the taxpayers. But I do feel that if we don't do something to get him to learn some things now, he might be foisted on you after he's 18.

 

[NellieBly]

No, I'm not trying to foist him on to the taxpayers. But I do feel that if we don't do something to get him to learn some things now, he might be foisted on you after he's 18.

You said you wanted to switch him to the public defender. The taxpayers pay for the public defender.

By the way, I was on a jury for a public defender trial. The lawyer was just incompetent.

 

[mistoffolees]

You said you wanted to switch him to the public defender. The taxpayers pay for the public defender.

That's the way I read it at first, too. However, to be fair, if you read the rest of the posts, OP seems to be asking if they can switch to a public defender - even if they still have to pay.

I'm not sure that makes any sense, though. Why would you want an overworked public defender if you have to pay, anyway?

By the way, I was on a jury for a public defender trial. The lawyer was just incompetent.

I get the sense that OP doesn't really care. She has reached the end of her rope and seems to have decided that jail time might be what it takes to straighten the kid out.

Of course, that messes up the rest of his life, as well. If it were me, I'd be looking at getting him a decent lawyer and stipulate that he'll be going to military school where they can pound some discipline into him.

But I haven't been where OP is, so take that with a grain of salt.

 

[>Charlotte<]

You said you wanted to switch him to the public defender. The taxpayers pay for the public defender.

She's not asking for free representation, she's asking if she can pay a reimbursement fee for a public defender.

 

[js123]

I'm not sure that makes any sense, though. Why would you want an overworked public defender if you have to pay, anyway?

Well he needs to know that messing with the law doesn't always fix itself up nice, neatly, easily again. He could do with worrying about something. We're trying to step back and let him step up.

I get the sense that OP doesn't really care. She has reached the end of her rope and seems to have decided that jail time might be what it takes to straighten the kid out.

Of course, that messes up the rest of his life, as well.

What makes you say that? (and I'm not saying we're doing the right thing) I'm aware that kids in the juvenile system who spend time in detention are more likely to move onto the adult system. And yes, that is way up there as a concern.
I don't expect him to be gone for long. And we have no intention of messing up the entire rest of his life.

If it were me, I'd be looking at getting him a decent lawyer and stipulate that he'll be going to military school where they can pound some discipline into him.

Military schools these days want kids who want to be there. You can't force defiant kids on to them. (Trust me, we have been solidly working our way through 'the answers' to kids like him)

 

[Ozark_Sophist]

You may want to discuss with an attorney about speaking (attorney and/or you) at the hearing to request "shock" jail time and/or oppose release.