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Abused beaten child

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Cal. Penal Code Section 273d – Child Abuse Causing Traumatic Injury. Claims of Child Abuse are all too often false claims, either made by one’s spouse or other parent of their child, or by Child Protective Services; a truly creepy entity. Child Protective Services usually does more harm than good for those children who they take from the custody of their parents. Many a Family Law Lawyer tell their clients that by making false allegations of Child Abuse to get the upper hand in Family Law cases. In almost all of these bogus Domestic Violence cases, the original complaining party recants their testimony.

Cal. Penal Code Section 273d provides:

273d. (a) Any person who willfully inflicts upon a child any cruel or inhuman corporal punishment or an injury resulting in a traumatic condition is guilty of a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 for two, four, or six years, or in a county jail for not more than one year, by a fine of up to six thousand dollars ($6,000), or by both that imprisonment and fin

(b) Any person who is found guilty of violating subdivision (a) shall receive a four-year enhancement for a prior conviction of that offense provided that no additional term shall be imposed under this subdivision for any prison term or term imposed under the provisions of subdivision (h) of Section 1170 served prior to a period of 10 years in which the defendant remained free of both the commission of an offense that results in a felony conviction and prison custody or custody in a county jail under the provisions of subdivision (h) of Section 1170.

(c) If a person is convicted of violating this section and probation is granted, the court shall require the following minimum conditions of probation:

(1) A mandatory minimum period of probation of 36 months.

(2) A criminal court protective order protecting the victim from further acts of violence or threats, and, if appropriate, residence exclusion or stay-away conditions.

(3) (A) Successful completion of no less than one year of a child abuser’s treatment counseling program. The defendant shall be ordered to begin participation in the program immediately upon the grant of probation. The counseling program shall meet the criteria specified in Section 273.1. The defendant shall produce documentation of program enrollment to the court within 30 days of enrollment, along with quarterly progress reports.

(B) The terms of probation for offenders shall not be lifted until all reasonable fees due to the counseling program have been paid in full, but in no case shall probation be extended beyond the term provided in subdivision (a) of Section 1203.1. If the court finds that the defendant does not have the ability to pay the fees based on the defendant’s changed circumstances, the court may reduce or waive the fees.

(4) If the offense was committed while the defendant was under the influence of drugs or alcohol, the defendant shall abstain from the use of drugs or alcohol during the period of probation and shall be subject to random drug testing by his or her probation officer.

(5) The court may waive any of the above minimum conditions of probation upon a finding that the condition would not be in the best interests of justice. The court shall state on the record its reasons for any waiver.

(Amended (as amended by Stats. 2011, Ch. 15, Sec. 312) by Stats. 2011, 1st Ex. Sess., Ch. 12, Sec. 8. (AB 17 1x) Effective September 21, 2011. Operative October 1, 2011, by Sec. 46 of Ch. 12.)

If you are the victim of bogus allegations of violation of Cal. Penal Code Section 273d, we can help you.

Photos of Jerry L. Steering with Bob Dole, Diane Sawyer and Melvin Belli
Jerry L. Steering with Bob Dole, Diane Sawyer and Melvin Belli

Jerry L. Steering, Law Office of Jerry L. Steering, 4063 Birch Street, Suite 100, Newport Beach, CA 92660; (949) 474-1849; jerrysteering@yahoo.com

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