Santa Rosa Juvenile Dependency Lawyer

SANTA ROSA, CA JUVENILE DEPENDENCY ATTORNEY

Have your children been taken from your home? Are you being investigated by Child Protective Services (CPS)? If you are facing a juvenile dependency issue, it is essential to have a clear understanding of what you are dealing with and to be fully aware of your rights and responsibilities. The Carroll Law Office is here to guide you through this challenge. You need a Santa Rosa juvenile dependency lawyer with specialized experience in this area of law to help advise you and appear with you in Court at the beginning of the process before it is too late.

CPS Investigation

During a CPS investigation, an experienced Santa Rosa juvenile dependency attorney can help you protect your rights. You will be asked to cooperate with CPS but that does not mean admitting wrongdoing. The CPS investigation generally involves home studies, a review of parents’ criminal records, and interviews with those who are close to you and your child, such as teachers, doctors, and neighbors. If the CPS investigation determines that claims of abuse or neglect were substantiated, your child might be taken from you, and you will face the judicial process.

Juvenile Dependency Judicial Process

When a petition alleging child abuse or neglect is filed against you, you have options. The Carroll Law Office helps you decide which approach is right for your situation and keeps you informed of the deadlines you will need to meet.

During the Juvenile Dependency Judicial Process, there are many different types of hearings that you might need to attend. Each one serves a different purpose and can severely impact your rights as a parent:

• An initial hearing, usually within 3 days.
• Jurisdictional and disposition hearings, usually 3-4 weeks later.
• A six-month review hearing
• 12- and 18-month permanency hearings
• Selection and implementation hearings
• Post permanency review hearings

Many find this process overwhelming, but the Carroll Law Office helps you manage it step by step with the goal of keeping your family together.

How a Santa Rosa CPS Attorney Can Help You Deal with CPS

When you deal with CPS, social workers are on the lookout for unruly behavior. If you become angry with them and cause a scene, or fail to cooperate, they can use this as evidence against you. Since emotions can run high when you feel that your legal rights are threatened, it’s helpful to have someone represent you and speak to CPS on your behalf. It is also important to have a Santa Rosa juvenile dependency lawyer to negotiate for you in court.

Juvenile dependency issues can be stressful and terrifying. At Carroll Law Office, we want to help. Contact us today for experienced and skillful legal guidance.