A parent in California who needs to attend a hearing in Children's Court over a care, custody or juvenile case has to get legal help. If it's not possible, then the court is able to assign a lawyer to assist each of the parents involved in the case. If the court is in LA County, it will mean getting help from Los Angeles Dependency Lawyers.
Dependency court locations in LA are in Lancaster and Monterey Park, CA. The latter is the Alfred McCourtney Juvenile Justice Center. The one in Lancaster is the Edmund Edelman Court.
For parents unable to arrange their own lawyer, the court will appoint one. Even parents not being accused of neglect or abuse can ask the court to provide them a lawyer. So can non-custodial parents who have been called for the hearing.
It's possible the child or children in question may have been left in the custody of the parents, but they're more likely to have been temporarily placed by the social worker at the home of a close friend or relative until the first hearing. If so, the hearing has to be held within three days and the parent has the right to speak with their children by phone in the interim.
This typically happens only after the social worker has tried and failed to get the parent to take the necessary steps voluntarily. Once the case is in court, the parent will get another opportunity to agree to a settlement. Of course, it's also the parent's prerogative to deny the DCFS allegations and try to retain custody over the children. But a loss in this court could have serious implications in terms of regaining custody over the children and any chance of getting the same settlement again.
Before any strategy is formulated, the lawyer must be provided all the documents related to the matter. Parents must also try and come up with a list of potential witnesses who may be able to support their claims. Since temporary custody of a child (pending the investigation) will be decided at this hearing, it is very important to put together a convincing case.
The bench officer or judge presiding over the matter may sometimes provide temporary custody to the parent. However, the more common solution is to detain them with a close relation or a family friend who is capable and happy to take care of the child for the duration. At this point, visitation rights will be formulated and a parent involved in the case may also be asked to sign up for some programs the judge feels are necessary.
The most important thing that happens at the initial hearing is that the judge or bench officer will decide the seriousness of the case, and the future course of action. So the second hearing, whose date will be set, could end up as a time and place for a settlement. It could just as well be a trial hearing. In any case, first impressions count for a lot, so clients must dress for court and treat the bench officer with utmost respect.
Dependency court locations in LA are in Lancaster and Monterey Park, CA. The latter is the Alfred McCourtney Juvenile Justice Center. The one in Lancaster is the Edmund Edelman Court.
For parents unable to arrange their own lawyer, the court will appoint one. Even parents not being accused of neglect or abuse can ask the court to provide them a lawyer. So can non-custodial parents who have been called for the hearing.
It's possible the child or children in question may have been left in the custody of the parents, but they're more likely to have been temporarily placed by the social worker at the home of a close friend or relative until the first hearing. If so, the hearing has to be held within three days and the parent has the right to speak with their children by phone in the interim.
This typically happens only after the social worker has tried and failed to get the parent to take the necessary steps voluntarily. Once the case is in court, the parent will get another opportunity to agree to a settlement. Of course, it's also the parent's prerogative to deny the DCFS allegations and try to retain custody over the children. But a loss in this court could have serious implications in terms of regaining custody over the children and any chance of getting the same settlement again.
Before any strategy is formulated, the lawyer must be provided all the documents related to the matter. Parents must also try and come up with a list of potential witnesses who may be able to support their claims. Since temporary custody of a child (pending the investigation) will be decided at this hearing, it is very important to put together a convincing case.
The bench officer or judge presiding over the matter may sometimes provide temporary custody to the parent. However, the more common solution is to detain them with a close relation or a family friend who is capable and happy to take care of the child for the duration. At this point, visitation rights will be formulated and a parent involved in the case may also be asked to sign up for some programs the judge feels are necessary.
The most important thing that happens at the initial hearing is that the judge or bench officer will decide the seriousness of the case, and the future course of action. So the second hearing, whose date will be set, could end up as a time and place for a settlement. It could just as well be a trial hearing. In any case, first impressions count for a lot, so clients must dress for court and treat the bench officer with utmost respect.
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