We defend parents and families at every stage of the DCFS and juvenile dependency process at Edelman Children's Court. From the first social worker visit through reunification — we fight for your family.
When Child Protective Services gets involved with your family in Los Angeles County, the stakes couldn't be higher. DCFS — the largest CPS agency in the United States — is represented at Edelman Children's Court by the LA County Counsel's office every single day. Parents deserve equally experienced representation on their side.
Our CPS defense attorneys appear regularly at Edelman Children's Court and know what it takes to challenge DCFS at every stage — from the first social worker visit through the final hearing. Whether you are facing an investigation, a detention hearing, or a WIC Section 300 petition, we are ready to defend you.
Call for a Free ConsultationWe respond 24/7 to child removal situations and advise you before you make any statements to DCFS social workers.
Held within 72 hours of removal — your first chance to bring your child home. We appear prepared and fight hard.
We challenge the DCFS petition at jurisdiction and advocate for the least restrictive case plan at disposition.
We guide you through case plan compliance and push for the fastest possible reunification at every review hearing.
We investigate the source of the referral and build a direct challenge from day one when allegations are false or exaggerated.
If DCFS moves to terminate parental rights, we fight aggressively at the .26 hearing to protect your relationship with your child.
The Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) is the specific name for LA's child welfare agency — the largest in the United States. When DCFS opens an investigation on your family, it assigns a social worker who will attempt to interview you, your child, and others in your life. The social worker has significant authority, including the ability to remove a child from the home without a prior court order in emergency situations.
Understanding how DCFS operates — how it investigates, how it builds cases, and where those cases are vulnerable — is essential to defending your family. Our attorneys know DCFS procedures thoroughly and use that knowledge to protect our clients at every stage.
Speak With a DCFS Defense AttorneyWe advise you before DCFS interviews and can intervene during the investigation — often preventing a case from ever reaching a formal petition.
We challenge every allegation in the DCFS petition at the jurisdiction hearing — reviewing reports, gathering evidence, and cross-examining social workers.
If DCFS removes your child, we respond immediately and argue for your child's return at the detention hearing within 72 hours.
A substantiated DCFS finding can place you on the Child Abuse Central Index. We represent parents at CACI grievance hearings to challenge unjust listings.
Juvenile dependency is not family court. It is not criminal court. It is a specialized legal system governed by California Welfare and Institutions Code Sections 300 through 366.26 — a framework that most parents have never heard of until they are suddenly inside it.
In Los Angeles County, these cases are heard exclusively at Edmund D. Edelman Children's Court in Monterey Park — the busiest dependency courthouse in the United States. Cases move quickly, timelines are tight, and the consequences are permanent, up to and including termination of parental rights.
Our attorneys appear regularly at Edelman Court, know the judicial officers and procedures there, and understand what it takes to defend families effectively at every stage of the dependency process.
Talk to a Dependency AttorneyWithin 72 hours of removal. The judge decides if your child stays in foster care or comes home. The single most time-sensitive moment in the case.
15–30 days after detention. The court determines if DCFS allegations are true. We challenge the petition with evidence and cross-examination.
If jurisdiction is found, the court sets the case plan. We fight for the least restrictive services and a fair reunification timeline.
The court reviews your compliance. Strong advocacy here can significantly accelerate the reunification timeline.
Critical deadlines in the reunification timeline. We prepare you thoroughly and present your progress compellingly.
If DCFS moves to terminate parental rights, we fight aggressively. Termination is not inevitable with the right representation.
The detention hearing — held within 72 hours of a child's removal — is the single most time-sensitive moment in the entire dependency process. At this hearing, a judge at Edelman Children's Court decides whether your child remains in foster care or comes home while the case continues.
DCFS presents its detention report. You have the right to respond with an attorney arguing on your behalf. If we can demonstrate that the child is not at risk, that safety measures are in place, or that DCFS's basis for removal is flawed — the judge can order your child home immediately.
Parents who appear at detention hearings without experienced counsel are at a serious disadvantage. DCFS is represented by the County Counsel's office every single time. So are our clients.
📞 Child Just Removed? Call NowThe detention hearing is often scheduled within 24–48 hours of removal. Call immediately — (866) 811-4255.
Many DCFS referrals in Los Angeles County are based on false, exaggerated, or deeply mischaracterized information. They arise in the context of custody battles, contentious divorces, conflicts between neighbors or relatives, and mandated reporters who misinterpret a child's circumstances.
A false report can still result in a full investigation, a petition, a child removal, and a case at Edelman Court. The allegations don't have to be true to set the process in motion — and once it is in motion, you need an attorney who knows how to stop it.
Speak With a Defense Attorney"CPS" is a general national term for child protective services agencies. In Los Angeles County specifically, the agency is called DCFS — the Department of Children and Family Services. It is the largest child welfare agency in the United States. When people in LA say "CPS," they mean DCFS.
Be calm and respectful, but do not make detailed statements about your family or your child until you have spoken with an attorney. DCFS social workers are trained interviewers and anything you say can be used in a petition against you. Call us immediately at (866) 811-4255 — even before your first DCFS meeting.
Edmund D. Edelman Children's Court in Monterey Park, CA handles all Los Angeles County DCFS juvenile dependency cases. It is the busiest juvenile dependency courthouse in the United States. Judicial officers there develop specific expectations about case presentation — which is why courthouse experience matters enormously.
Yes. If DCFS allegations are false, exaggerated, or based on misinterpreted information, they can be challenged at the jurisdiction hearing. We investigate the referral source, gather independent evidence, and challenge the credibility of DCFS's case. Many false allegation cases are dismissed at or before the jurisdiction hearing.
Yes — and this is exactly what we fight for. If we can show the child is not at risk, that safety measures are in place, or that DCFS's removal was based on flawed information, the judge can order your child returned home immediately at the detention hearing. This happens — and it happens more often when parents have experienced, prepared counsel.
Most cases last six months to two years depending on compliance with the case plan and the complexity of the allegations. With strong legal representation and full case plan compliance, many families achieve reunification significantly faster than statutory maximum timelines.
Call ALL Trial Lawyers for a free, confidential consultation. We are available 24/7 for families dealing with DCFS and juvenile dependency cases at Edelman Children's Court.