Please help with Washington law's (Snohomish: crime, lawyer, home)

[sistersquest]

Does the U.S. Constitution exist in Snohomish county Washington? I have seen nothing but a very laxed law enforcement, and a system that does not aknowledge federal laws regarding the right to safety nor do they recognise child abuse laws. I have been encountering a police department that does not want to do their sworn duty to protect and serve,and a child protective service that says the recent change in laws does not to permit them to due a welfare check on a child if drugs used in the home are not accessible to the child. I have also been told that because one person filed a restraining order against onother that automatically gives them custody even though they physically assaulted the other person, drove with the child in the car while drunk and high and do not have a drivers license.What is this country coming too. Descent people cannott protect there own unless they have money and lots of it while illegal money is used to manipulate the court and legal systems of this country.

[the dufferz]

I can sense your frustration, but you throw too wide of a net trying to find blame. The US constitution has very little to do with what your problems (or I assume your sisters problem) as regards to the state of Washington and specifically Snohomish county (PS I live there).

Many of the issues that you are talking about have the do with DSHS (dept. of Social and Health Services). Being a vetran of this area, and having experience some of their system, I can tell you that it is a governmental program that you should avoid at all costs.

Without getting into a huge post, my recommendation is to get a lawyer who deals with these situations (I can get a name for youi if you don't know of one). The fighting involved when it comes to children and their safety, and the potential involvement with DSHS is daunting.

I will also respond on the political forum with more details.

The dufferz

[madicarus2000]

Detracting from the actual issue you have, the US Constitution is not a document that guarantees your safety and the children's but defines the role of the federal government. It sets their powers and limits.

Dufferz is right, what you need is legal assistance to help you, or your sister, navigate through the various departments and laws that provide protection for the children.

[lady_jet]

It's not what they're doing, it's what the law is, but you have to start documenting everything even if it seems the system is not doing anything. If it's your sister and her husband/boyfriend who are part of the problem, this is going to be more difficult. Is your sister going to leave the person? If she's married to him, she can file for divorce under the Domestic Violence Act (DVA). Once that's done and it goes to court, she can request a Guardian ad Litem (s/he's the person, other than the judge, who's for the child/children alone and will ensure the child/children are safe). Under teh DVA, the divorce will be final in approximately 3 months.

She needs to file a restraining order at the same time as the divorce paperwork to keep the dad away and once a restraining order is filed, he cannot come near the home or children again "without supervised visitation." At least that's how it worked for me.

Write me privately at the address in the private email and I'll give you more details once I know a bit more.

lady_jet

[Mark S.]

We're in King County, and it's no better.

Our police seem serious about law enforcement, but there just aren't enough cops on the street for the amount of crime we have. Last election we passed an initiative to fund more police on the street, but I'm not seeing it yet.

And yes, DSHS is a mess. A big mess.

Myself, I have no problem with people using the system if they are in genuine need, but we have neighbors who are just sucking off the system. And it isn't that they can't work. They just don't want to. Add to that various substance abuse problems, friends and relatives constantly coming by who are definitely of the criminal element, and you've got a recipe for declining neighborhoods.

It's a big reason why we are packing out of Washington. It's a beautiful state, but unless you are rich, it's just a poor quality of life. If you are middle class, there are lots of other places that offer a bettery quality of life in which to raise your family. We are leaving, and I won't miss it.