Tikkabik

So Bonnie, Robert and I just got back from Falmouth Juvenile Court, and I'm pleased to report that we got the best possible outcome and the one our attorney was hoping for: Pre-trial probation for a period of one year. Presuming Robert keeps his nose clean, isn't arrested or summonsed to court, and doesn't receive any severe disciplinary action at school for the next year, this is the last we'll ever hear on this matter ever again. What's more, the records will be sealed and this won't come back to bite him in the future.

Short of an outright dismissal, which was very unlikely to happen anyway, this is the best possible outcome. There's no court trial, no calling of witnesses or cross-examination, and no more hassles involving the court in a matter that never should have gotten to court to begin with.

What it ultimately came down to is behind-the-scenes negotiation between our attorney, who specializes in special ed cases, and the district attorney. He made the case that Robert is part of an intact family, he's getting the help that he needs at the school he's going to, he's receiving counseling, and he's got help outside of school too -- in fact, representatives from two organizations were there to support us.

All this impressed the judge enough to limit the action they'll take to this pre-trial probation period. It's unsupervised, too, so he doesn't have to check in with a probation officer or anything like that -- as long as Robert behaves, he's all set.

Thank God.