Are You Concerned about Termination of Your Parental Rights?

The worst nightmare for a parent is most likely having their children taken away from them by any means. While many parents may fear that something could happen to their child such as abduction, kidnapping, or a devastating accident, there can be other circumstances that can sever the ties between a child and his or her mother and father.  The state can take custody of a child if they deem it is necessary for the child's or children's welfare.  If social services or another California state authority has given you the idea that they may pursue having your child become a dependent of the court, you should contact a Los Angeles family law attorney immediately to learn about your rights and options.

Grounds for Juvenile Dependency Case

There are many circumstances that could lead a social worker or law enforcement to petition that the court terminate or severely limit parental rights.  This action could result in the child becoming a dependent of the court and put a great deal of strain on a family.  The grounds for such an action are numerous and in theory are to protect a child from a hazardous or detrimental family environment.  Such grounds include child abuse or neglect, sexual abuse, loss of rights in regard to another child (possibly resulting in all children of that parent to become wards of the court), abandonment of the child or children, extreme parental disinterest in the care or welfare of the child, failure to make reasonable efforts to care for a child, etc.  A juvenile dependency case may also arise if the parent(s) are convicted of a felony or imprisoned or have given indications of drug or alcohol abuse leading to an inability to be an effective parent.

Make sure your rights are protected!

Cases where the state is attempting to intervene in your relationship with your child by making him or her a dependent of the court require swift and skilled legal representation.  A caring, dedicated juvenile dependency lawyer on our team at Claery & Green has handled many difficult family law and divorce matters involving child custody and parental rights.  We understand how important family is to our clients and we go all out to get a successful result.  We have the experience and dedication our clients need.

Contact a Los Angeles juvenile dependency attorney at our firm today to find out how we may be able to protect your parental rights!