Westminster Juvenile Dependency Attorney

The Johnson Criminal Law Group offers the residents of Westminster a wide range of criminal defense services, including representation for juvenile dependency cases. Juvenile dependency is a judicial process involving a child being temporarily or permanently removed from the home because of allegations of abuse or neglect. Please call Orange County criminal defense attorney Ms. Johnson-Norris at (949) 622-5522 if you have any questions about the juvenile dependency process.

There are many different people and agencies that may be involved in a juvenile dependency case, such as the judge, social workers, lawyers and court appointed special advocates called a CASA. The purpose of the National Appointed Special Advocate Association is to help the children that are being neglected and/or abused by looking out for the children in the court system. The child will have a CASA advocate who will help give them access to services that can better the conditions they are in and repair any trauma. If the CASA volunteer is not able to help keep a family together through the different services that the can provide, then they work to find another home that will be fitting, stable, and safe for the child.

The Juvenile Dependency Judge does all the jobs that judges usually do; however, there are no juries in juvenile dependency court. The judge is the one who will make the final decision about what happens in each case. Her job is to listen to what everyone says, and will decide what needs to happen to keep a child safe. Making sure the judge hears the truth is vital, and that’s why you need to be represented by an experienced Westminster juvenile dependency defense attorney like Ms. Johnson-Norris.

The role of a CASA in a dependency case is to talk to people and gather facts. The CASA will tell the judge what they learned, and may make suggestions to the court about what needs be done to make the child safe. CASA advocates have recently been starting to receive education on drug abuse with the recent increase in the amount of children that have begun entering the juvenile dependency system. Advocates can also monitor the progress of families that are working to better themselves and create the best environment for their children. They help provide context to the court and thus making sure that the child is being put in the best environment possible. The CASA volunteers know the child they have been assigned to and understand their story. Therefore, they may be able to help any decision making processes to ensure that the child ends up in the best living situation possible.

Lawyers usually speak in court for parents involved in juvenile deficiency cases to protect their rights during the process, which could take months to reach completion. Furthermore, the court may require a plan of action for family reunification, which will be subject to periodic review. Orange County juvenile dependency defense lawyer Ms. Johnson-Norris will assist you not only with protecting you and your child, but with the entire family reunification process.