Dependency Information
Family Law Attorneys provide numerous services including handling Dependency cases. If you are in need of any of the services below please contact an attorney who can help you.
This list should give you a good overview of what terms and areas are covered under Dependency.
Dependency
The term dependency covers an array of situations that
a child may be facing. Here are some situations where child
dependency would come into play:
>A child doesn't
have a parent or guardian to take care of their needs.
>Their
parent or guardian may be incapable of taking care of the child (could be
because the parent has an illness or disability)
>The child is facing circumstances keeping the parent or
guardian to be able to care for them (the child could have an illness or
disability)
>A child is
facing possible abuse or neglect.
The Dependency process is very complex and usually requires the help of an attorney depending on your role in the case. For example, the California Dependency "Quick Guide" is 554 pages long. Therefore if you are facing or dealing with a Dependency case you should highly consider hiring an attorney.
Dependency cases typically starts when Social Services gets involved. They get involved when someone reports possible abuse or neglect of a child.
You can go to the California courts web-site to see how the entire process works. It is a very complex process which typically involves multiple attorneys helping parents, adoptive parents, and others throughout the case.
Unlike many other court cases, dependency cases are confidential, and the information is not publically available.
In most cases the child will be provided
with an attorney. However that attorney cannot conflict with any other
party in the case (they cannot also represent another party or agency whose
interest conflicts with the child's). Typically a lawyer should not
represent multiple children in the same family as there could be a conflict -
though if there isn't a conflict this may be allowed. The child's attorney
represents the child's interests - i.e. what is in the child's best
welfare. In some cases the attorney may push for wishes against those of
the child, if they feel their recommendation is in the child's best
interest. For example, if a child wants to return to a parent who the
attorney believes is abusive, the attorney may recommend the child not be
reunified with that parent.
Child
Abuse & Neglect
If someone reports possible abuse or
neglect of a child then a Social Worker or
Police Officer may get involved.
After an investigation they can make the
determination to remove a child from a home if they believe the
child:
>Was abused, neglected, or molested
>Did
not have proper supervision
>Was left with someone who was not taking care
of them
The child may be moved to another parent's home, to a relative's house, or to foster care.
If the social worker thinks the child is not safe in your house they may file a petition with the court stating their reasons. There will then be a court hearing the parent must attend. If you or anyone you know is facing this situation you should contact a Dependency or Family Law attorney well in advance of the court date.
Advocate
Child Abuse and Child Neglect
Child Adoption support services
Child Custody and Child Support
Child Visitation rights (parent's rights, grandparent's rights)
Marriage, Civil Unions, Domestic Partnerships
Prenuptial and Postnuptial agreements
Divorce, Separation, Marriage Annulments
Paternity cases involving paternity testing, and paternity fraud
Spousal Support (also known as alimony). Numerous factors go into determining spousal support. These can include length of the marriage, salary history, dependents, and many more factors.
Parents' due process rights
Father's Rights
Mother's Rights
Grandparent's Rights in California - Grandparents have certain family law rights in California. In certain cases this may include visitation and child custody. You should speak with an attorney to discuss the specific details around your case. Here is a link to the Family Law code (Family Law Code 3100 - 3105 ) focusing on Grandparents Rights in California.
Family reunification (reunify services)
In-home placement
Family Law Rights
Separation Agreements
Restraining orders (applying, and responding)
CLICK HERE for more information on Family Law
In the past we have worked with numerous law firms and lawyers in and around Los Angeles, and different parts of Southern California. We have worked with Beverly Hills Divorce Attorneys, Pasadena Family Law Attorneys, Pasadena Juvenile Dependency Attorneys, Family Law Firms in Santa Monica, and other Top Lawyers in LA. In all that time we have learned having a dedicated attorney by your side cannot guarantee success, but it can educate you on the process, and help you understand the key things you need to focus on. If you are dealing with any of the items noted above you owe yourself to at the very minimum consult with an attorney to discuss your
case.
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Disclaimer: Any information on this site is for
informational use only, and is not a legal opinion. We are not a law firm.
Nothing on this site is legal advice. Please contact an attorney if you need
legal advice. The law is constantly changing so there is no guarantee the
information on this site is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. If you decide to
hire an attorney you should take information from numerous sources into account
(and not just this web-site).
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