Areas of Practice
Juvenile & Adult ADD, ADHD, Asperger's
The problem with kids and adults with these neurological disorders, something they didn’t ask for but were born with, is they often look “normal” --- and society expects them to act “normal.” When they don’t, they’re labeled “weird,” “dangerous,” and eventually “criminals.”
Problems often start in the schools, where kids with ADD and ADHD (that often appear with the other disorders), can’t seem to pay attention, can’t sit still, and are always on the move. If a teacher isn’t properly trained at re-directing the student, the student is “acting out,” and a “behavioral problem.”
Asperger’s people can be victimized by accusations by people claiming “fear.” This is because “Aspies” as they’re know, have normal to above normal IQs. They can be articulate, funny but filled with anxiety and have no sense of societies hidden rules:
- A boy is attracted to a girl. She’s not interested. Still, he walks through the halls following her with no evil intent. Suddenly, he’s a “stalker.”
- A student is at a urinal. An “Aspie” walks in, gets near him and talks to him, looking at him while he urinates. The Aspie doesn’t have a clue of the unwritten rule of the toilet: mind your business, do your business and leave. The word spreads, the kid might be “queer,” or a “pervert.”
- A socially-challenged Aspie I represented chatted on line with a girl who said she was 16. He asked for a photo and she sent him a spread-eagle shot and wanted them to meet. Naively he drove to her home. It turned out she was 13. His computer was seized and he was prosecuted for sexual offenses. Fortunately, his charges were later dropped and his criminal record expunged.
- In New Jersey a piano teacher was prosecuted for sexual offenses against a young girl. Part of the evidence was that he taught her while she sat on his lap. The prosecution claimed he was “grooming” her for sex. The defense wasn’t permitted to counter by evidence of his Asperger’s syndrome to explain that to his mind his conduct wasn’t abnormal. The teacher was convicted. The appeals court gave him a new trial. The jury should have heard evidence that Asperger’s people can have little recognition of society’s hidden rules and could have found there was no evil intent.
Schools, police, prosecutors and Courts need to know that these kids and adults have a problem. They’re not criminals and simply because someone cries “fear” isn’t a reason to lock them up. If your lawyer won’t do it, who will?
If you have been arrested or charged with a criminal offense, you need a good lawyer. At the Law Offices of Andrew F. Schneider, all matters involving your freedom and good name are taken very seriously. We provide experienced, effective criminal defense.