Witnessing child abuse by a close person may make you feel utterly helpless. Seeing your child being taken away from your own home because of alleged child neglect may completely shatter you, leaving you to wonder: what went wrong? When the well-being of your child is at stake, immediate action is required – enlist professional legal help to protect the rights of your children.

Our Madison family law attorneys understand the tremendous stress children and parents may experience when faced with allegations of child abuse or protection issues. At Eisenberg Law Offices, based in Madison, Wisconsin, we have successfully represented children and families just like you. We have the expertise and knowledge to stand up for your rights.

CHIPS stands for “Child in Need of Protection and/or Services”. Until reaching the legal age of responsibility, children depend on adults for care and protection. When parents cannot or will not take care of their children adequately, the juvenile court may step in to grant them the needed protection or services. There are a number of circumstances in which the court may interfere in the lives of children:

(1)  Parent/guardian cases. This category includes children without a parent/guardian; children, whose parent/guardian petitions the court for assistance in securing special treatment or care for the child; children who themselves petition the court for assistance; children with inadequate care from a parent and abandoned children. If you are facing any of these situations, Eisenberg Law Offices’ family law attorneys will effectively represent you in court, protecting your rights at every step of the proceedings.

(2)  Other neglect/abuse cases. This category includes children who have been the victims of abuse or are at risk for it, children who have been placed for care or adoption unlawfully, neglected children or children at substantial risk of being neglected, children suffering from emotional damage or an alcohol/drug abuse impairment, and children who have not been immunized as required by law. If you need assistance for any of the above mentioned neglect/abuse cases, our professional family law attorneys are ready to help.

A CHIPS case is initiated when someone reports a suspected case of child abuse or neglect to Child Protective Services or Social Services.  A caseworker investigates the validity of the report and can close the case if no safety issues are found, or file a petition, stating the reasons for abuse or neglect, if safety issues are present.

Since CHIPS court hearings are confidential, it is of utmost importance to have professional help to protect your rights. Our experienced family law attorneys at Eisenberg Law Offices will suggest the best course of action through all the hearings:

• (1)  Plea hearing – The involved parties notify the court if they will contest the petition.
• (2)  Fact-finding hearing is scheduled if any of the parties contests the petition. During this hearing, both parties present their evidence.
• (3)  Dispositional hearing – takes place if none of the parties contest the petition, or if during the fact-finding hearing, the court finds that the child is in need of protection or services. During this hearing, a court designated agency will submit a report regarding suitable assistance for the child. Any involved party may present evidence for or against the report of that agency. Finally, the court will make the dispositional order.
• The dispositional order by the court is not set in stone – a modification can be requested. Our Wisconsin family law attorneys will help you determine whether your case qualifies for modification. Since the Wisconsin legislature has passed the Adoption and Safe Families Act, which ensures faster proceedings, time limits for CHIPS cases are very short and rapid.

Do not undermine the well-being of your family – enlist the help of professionals to ensure that your rights will not be compromised at any step of the CHIPS process. If you want to protect your child and file a case against an abusive/neglectful parent, or if you are a parent accused of neglect/abuse, do not hesitate to contact Eisenberg Law Offices for a free consultation – we are here to serve you.