CALIFORNIA CRIMINAL LAWYERS

Los Angeles Corporal Injury on a Child – PC 273d

Child abuse, also known as corporal injury on a child, is a serious criminal offense in the state of California. If convicted of this crime, it can significantly impact your life for many years. Whether you are the child’s parent or not, inflicting abuse on a child is never an option. The state defines child abuse as punishing a child excessively for committing a wrongdoing. This can include beating, hitting, or engaging in a physical altercation with a teenager that may lead to bruises. It is prohibited by California Penal Code 273d, which outlines the punishment for offenders based on the facts of the case, prior criminal convictions, and other relevant factors. A judge can charge you with a misdemeanor or a felony, with a maximum sentence of one year or more than six years, respectively.

Understanding the gravity of the charges and convictions, there are possible defenses available for those who would like to fight against the charges. A legal professional can assist in establishing defenses- such as demonstrating that the child’s injuries were not a result of the abuse, the allegations are entirely false, the injury was an accident, or you were disciplining your child within your rights as a parent. All of these require professional legal opinions based on the facts of the case.

In cases of child abuse associated with PC 273d, our law firm prides ourselves with specialization in handling such. Whether you have been charged with these crimes or would like to take legal action against someone, we would be thrilled to assist you. Our first step is always to schedule a consultation appointment with one of our attorneys to discuss the matter, especially to obtain a better understanding of the facts. Based on our analysis, we can decide whether we are able to take your case at the moment or not. Once a decision has been made, we require that you enter into a retainer agreement with our firm that covers our legal fees. This agreement includes our commitment to taking over every aspect of your case. If you need legal help concerning a case involving PC 273d, do not hesitate to reach out to us for assistance.

Understanding PC 273d of California’s Penal Code

To better understand the offenses covered under PC 273d, it’s necessary to comprehend the contents of California’s Penal Code. It criminalizes child abuse or corporal injury to a child, such that anyone who inflicts injury or pain on a child can be charged with either a misdemeanor or a felony. The law is very specific in describing an act of child abuse, indicating that it is a wobbler offense, which means it can be charged as either a felony or a misdemeanor, based on the unique facts of the case. This code applies to anyone who has a position of authority or trust over the child, such as parents, guardians, caretakers, teachers, or coaches.

A child is defined as anyone below the age of 18 years old, and that can be any act or omission which results in injury or harm of any nature, no matter how slight. Injuries or harm can come in varying forms, such as physical, mental, or emotional harm, or any combination of the three. When it comes to PC 273d, the offense occurs when the child is subjected to cruel, brutal, or inhuman corporal punishment, resulting in harm, trauma, or injury.

Severity of Punishments

California’s courts take cases of child abuse very seriously, which means that anyone convicted of this offense may face significant legal consequences. Based on the unique features of each case, a defendant can be charged with either a misdemeanor or felony. A misdemeanor is punishable by up to one year in jail or a fine that doesn’t exceed $6,000, while a felony could lead to a prison sentence of two, four, or six years in jail, depending on circumstances surrounding the offense.

However, it’s important to note that the consequences for a conviction don’t stop at these punishments alone. The stigma of being labeled as a child abuser follows the defendant wherever they go, making it challenging to secure gainful employment, maintain relationships or secure trust from society. That’s why it is pertinent to obtain legal help to avoid or lessen these consequences.

Defenses Available for Child Abuse Cases

If you are facing charges of child abuse under PC 273d, it is possible to fight against the accusations. Available defenses include demonstrating that the injuries resulted from an unrelated cause that you didn’t cause; allegations of abuse are untrue, you didn’t inflict the injury deliberately, or that the punishment administered meets the legal expectations of a parent. Successfully presenting any of these defenses would require a thorough investigation and legal defense by professionals. Our law firm can provide necessary legal services to argue these defenses and achieve the outcome for your case.

How Our Law Firm Can Help

Our law firm specializes in handling cases of child abuse associated with PC 273d. We understand the complexities of such cases, and we pride ourselves on providing quality legal representation to our clients.

We provide legal services that include scheduling consultation with our attorneys, who would review the facts of the case, understand the circumstances, and determine if we can take on the case or not. If we decide to proceed, we would require that you sign a retainer agreement that covers our fees and promises assistance with every aspect of your case.

Our legal representation would include formulating a convincing defense to address allegations, as well as negotiating with prosecutors, judges, or juries on your behalf to minimize legal consequences. With experienced and professional legal services, we would secure your rights and ensure that you get the outcome for your PC 273d-associated child abuse case.

Offenses Defined by PC 273d

Punishments for PC 273d

Defenses against PC 273d