Child Welfare

Parents may find themselves in need of legal representation when they receive a call from a child protection investigator with social services, or may need to defend against allegations of child abuse, neglect, or maltreatment during a child protection investigation or court proceeding. Parents often must challenge the emergency removal of their children for placement in foster care, contest the allegations made unto them, and advocate for the prompt return of their children. This can be a stressful situation for everyone involved, especially when there are other factors involved such as substance abuse issues, financial stability, emotional wellbeing, and many more. Our attorneys are well versed in child in need of protection or services (CHIPS) cases and will advocate for the best interest of the child(ren), regardless of the situation. Juvenile court proceedings involve many court appearances and short timelines for parents to regain custody of their children, and our attorneys can be quick and agile to meet these deadlines.

Termination of Parental Rights

During CHIPS proceedings, the Court may ask the parents to complete specific tasks or comply with specific requirements. This may involve a range of activities including completing parenting classes, complying with random drug tests, enrolling the child in psychiatric therapy, and more. If social services does not believe that parents are working to comply with the Court’s requests, the county may file a permanency petition. This petition may ask the judge to transfer custody of the children to someone else or permanently terminate their parental rights. Our attorneys have experience with clients on all sides of the situation, including protesting involuntary termination of parental rights, supporting clients in their decision to voluntarily terminate parental rights, and representing relatives of the child(ren) to obtain custody of the child(ren).