Children’s Protective Services

Having Colorado's protective services involved in your life can be a nightmare from which it's nearly impossible to escape. In many instances, caseworkers are so afraid of making a mistake that they drag families through the mud regardless of proof. In other cases, caseworkers are inept or vindictive, leaving a parent facing an allegation of neglect or abuse unable to extricate themselves from the bureaucracy.

Denver Child Abuse Defense Attorney Andres R. Guevara is a former prosecutor who understands both sides of such cases and is dedicated to defending clients dealing with unwarranted intrusion by child welfare officials.

Colorado's Mandatory Child Abuse Reporting law (CRS 19-3-301 and 19-1-103), requires health care officials, schools, police officers and other officials to report suspected child abuse. The Colorado Department of Human Services continues to report a growing caseload, with nearly 77,000 referrals in 2010.

Colorado DHS Investigations - Denver Defense Lawyers

About half of referrals become active cases. More than 38,514 cases were opened in 2010, involving just under 66,000 children. That means DHS is tasked with investigating the welfare of 180 Colorado children every day!

The largest number of cases was reported in Denver County (6,361), followed by El Paso (5,193) and Arapahoe (4,601) counties. Meanwhile, caseworker care continues to decline and compliance rates are cited by DHS as an area in need of improvement. Further stressing the system is the fact that the legislature continues to squeeze the department's budget.

Dealing with a state or federal bureaucracy is always a challenge. But when your children are involved, emotions can run high. Allegations of sexual or physical abuse often occur during a divorce or contentious child custody battle. Too often, DHS arrives on the scene and essentially tramples a parent's rights.

At the Law Office of Andres R. Guevara, we believe the best defense is an aggressive offense. Too often child welfare officials are permitted to run roughshod through a family's life because an experienced Denver defense attorney is not consulted in a timely fashion.

Frequently, it is easier to handle these cases on the front end than it is to attempt to reverse an abuse finding or seek a child's return from a placement outside the home.

The Department of Child Welfare is also struggling with issues or racism and bias. The Colorado Disparities Resource Center was established in 2009 to address longstanding issues of disparities in child welfare based on race and ethnicity. The state's complaint process recommends addressing caseworker issues with the local supervisor or county director. Or speaking with the local Citizen Review Panel. In other words, you are told to beg for mercy from the very organization that is treating you unjustly.

We recommend contacting a Denver child welfare defense lawyer at the earliest stages of such cases.

The Law Office of Andre R. Guevara represents clients facing Colorado DHS investigations in Denver and the surrounding areas, including Aurora, Boulder and Englewood. Each member of our team is committed to keeping you informed and involved in your defense and to fighting for the best outcome possible in your case. For a free and confidential consultation, call 888-265-0044 or contact us through this website.

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• In the matter of L.C. (2012): Firm hired pre-arrest in a rape case. After extensive investigation, the district attorney's office agreed not to file charges.
• P. v. B.S: (2011). Arapahoe county trial, client accused of assaulting a police officer with an improvised flame thrower. Client acquitted of most serious charge of assault in the first degree.
• People v. M.K. (2011): Client charged with felony stalking and violations of orders of protection. Client acquitted of all counts.
• Araphoe County Attempted Murder trial, client accused of attempting to kill four individuals. Client acquitted of felony charges including all counts of Attempted Murder and client released.
• P. v. MM (2010): Arapahoe county case involving innocent client mistakenly charged with drug sale. Successfully argued for dismissal of case.
• P. v. C.B. (2010): Felony drug possession case. Successfully argued for suppression of drug evidence in case where police illegally entered an apartment under the pretense of conducting a child welfare check. Case dismissed.
• P. v. I (2010): Client charged with inciting a prison riot and faced long mandatory prison if convicted. Successfully negotiated plea for probation.
• P. v. B-G (2009): Arapahoe County felony case in which client was passenger in vehicle containing over 200 grams of cocaine. Over prosecution's objections, and despite the fact that a co-defendant received a two-year prison sentence, successfully argued to the judge for a sentence of probation.
• P. v. J. (2009): Felony identity theft case in Arapahoe County. Client wrongly accused of being involved in a scheme to defraud when in actuality client was a victim of the same scheme. Case dismissed.
• P. v. E. (2009): Client falsely accused by third party of illegal weapons possession of a sawed-off shotgun. Case dismissed after attorney investigation into accuser's background and the allegations.
• P. v. O (2009): Client charged as look-out for alleged felony cocaine drug sales. Case dismissed.
• P. v. C. (2008): Client accused of public indecency for changing clothes in a secluded part of a park. If convicted, client would have had to register as a sex offender. Client acquitted at trial of all counts.

Law Office of Andres R. Guevara
1733 High Street
Denver, CO 80218
Phone: 720-256-2306
Toll Free: 888-265-0044
Fax: 303-333-9493
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