The acronym "PINS" stands for a Person In Need of Supervision. A PINS application is a request to the Family Court, seeking formal judicial assistance with the supervision of a child who is under 18 years of age. Such judicial assistance may be requested if the child does not attend school as required or is deemed "incorrigible, ungovernable or habitually disobedient and beyond the lawful control" of a parent or other lawful authority.
A PINS petition may be brought by a parent, guardian, school district, law enforcement officer, social agency or anyone who has been harmed by the actions of the child. A PINS petition is often brought by school districts in an effort to compel a child to attend school, and is often brought by parents who are having difficulties controlling their child's behavior.
While the results of a PINS can be as mild as a judicial warning to the child, depending on the severity of the circumstances, the court can also order that the child be taken out of the home (even over the objections of the child's parents and even if the parents have initiated the proceeding!) and placed in a secured detention facility. Consequently, while a PINS proceeding can provide much needed assistance with the supervision and control of an unmanageable child, it is a very serious matter and legal assistance and representation is strongly recommended.
To discuss any issues or questions with respect to a potential PINS application, please contact Lawrence
J. Schwind.