Pittsburgh Dependency Lawyers
We Fight to Help Preserve Your Parental Rights
Juvenile dependency cases revolve around the issue of whether a parent
is fit to keep a child. These matters generally stem from a report from
someone, whether a social worker, the other parent, a teacher, doctor,
or even a neighbor, that your child is being neglected or harmed due to
your parental incompetence. These issues are highly sensitive, divisive,
and emotional and can take a huge psychological toll on parents, children,
and other family members.
If you need legal help regarding a juvenile dependency matter in the greater
Pittsburgh area, look no further than Blaine Jones Law, LLC. Our firm
is well-versed in civil law and issues that are decided in the local civil
courts. Our nationally recognized legal team has spent decades investigating,
researching, and preparing cases as well as conducting trials before judges
and juries. We understand what is at stake when you are involved in any
dependency issue, whether you are fighting it as the aggrieved parent
or attempting to protect a child from harm. Our passion is to protect
your legal rights and ensure the child’s best interests.
Need legal counsel regarding a dependency issue? Phone Blaine Jones Law,
LLC at (412) 475-0062 or email us your request for a free consultation
online.
Juvenile Dependency Cases in Pennsylvania
If Child Protective Services has entered your life and you are facing the
prospect of losing your child, you need to act as soon as possible. These
cases generally stem from some type of evidence that a child is not being
cared for properly.
Examples of evidence that leads to dependency cases can include:
- Reports that the child has been neglected or abused
- Instances of domestic violence occurring in the home
- A parent having a history of alcohol or drug abuse
- A consistent record of the child running away from home
- A record of the child failing to attend school
- Unsanitary or dangerous living conditions in the home
- Reports that the child has been abandoned
- Criminal activity committed by the child
In such cases, the court will intervene to begin the dependency process
to determine who should oversee caring for the child. Courts generally
operate on the principle of keeping the family unit intact. However, its
responsibility is to ensure that every dependent child receives proper
care and protection; this goal supersedes the desires of a parent.
After dependency hearings, if the court decides that a parent is unfit,
it may allow the child to remain with the parent under supervision by
the court. It also may decide to remove the child from parental care and
give temporary legal custody to someone else. This custody could go to
the other parent if the parents are separated or divorced, or to a relative,
such as a grandparent. Other care alternatives could include a foster
home or some other type of children’s home.
If you have been reported as a negligent parent, an investigation concerning
the matter can take place very quickly. You may be given minimal notice
that your child will be taken from your home. You have a right to legal
representation at any future court hearing regarding this issue and should
immediately contact our firm to protect your parental rights.
Talk to a Pittsburgh dependency attorney about your case in a complimentary
consultation at (412) 475-0062 today.