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List of Dependency Court Judges

jrodriguez@axxiomdata.com (Juan Rodriguez) — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 21:22:03 GMT

This is a list of judges at the Edelman Court in Monterey Park, California. Monterey Park is located in East Los Angeles. These are the men and women who preside over DCFS cases including those cases involving allegations of child abuse or child neglect.

Please note – if you are being accused of child abuse or neglect, please consider contacting an Attorney immediately. These allegations are taken extremely seriously.

And if you know a child who is being abused please contact the Child Protection hotline immediately. They are available 24 hours a day, 7 days per week.

Toll-free within California, phone (800) 540-4000
If calling from outside of California, phone (213) 639-4500
TDD [Hearing Impaired] (800) 272-6699

Note there is a difference between a Judge, an Assigned Judge, a Referee, and a Commissioner.

Judge: Judges can be appointed by the Governor or elected into their office by the public.
Referee: Appointed by the presiding judge to hear cases assigned to them. They have the same powers and authority as a Juvenile Court Judge. They are considered employees of the Court.
Commissioner: Elected by the Superior Court Judges. They are considered employees of the Court.

Note this list is current as of February 2022 and provided via Lacourt.org. Please check with the Edelman Courthouse for the most up-to-date information on judges.

If you have a case in front of any of these judges contact an attorney to discuss your case, and ask if they have appeared before or know about these Judges. Each Judge may handle different types of cases differently.

Edelman Children’s Court Judges – DCFS Judges

jrodriguez@axxiomdata.com (Juan Rodriguez) — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 21:13:30 GMT

DCFS Court Monterey Park

This is a list of judges at the Edelman Court in Monterey Park, California (as of December 2021). The list changes from time to time. You should check with the courthouse for the most up-to-date list of judges. These people are the ones you may reside over your case. They will hear all sides and make their decision. These are the judges who are assigned to DCFS related cases. If you have a court case at the Edelman Court house we highly recommend you work with an Attorney who has experience with Family Law.

And know that the information handled in these cases can be extremely sensitive. You should work with your Attorney to better understand which information you can and cannot share, even with others involved in the case.

Note there is a difference between a Judge, an Assigned Judge, a Referee, and a Commissioner.

Judge: Judges can be appointed by the Governor or elected into their office by the public.
Assigned Judge: Typically retired judges who can be brought back to preside over cases.
Referee: Appointed by the presiding judge to hear cases assigned to them. They have the same powers and authority as a Juvenile Court Judge. They are considered employees of the Court.
Commissioner: Elected by the Superior Court Judges. They are considered employees of the Court.

Note this list is current as of February 2022 and provided via Lacourt.org. Please check with the Edelman Courthouse for the most up-to-date information on judges.

If you have a case in front of any of these judges contact an attorney to discuss your case, and make sure they have appeared before or know about these Judges. Each one may handle their cases differently.

Child Support Calculator

jrodriguez@axxiomdata.com (Juan Rodriguez) — Tue, 08 Sep 2020 20:13:29 GMT

Calculating child support in California is done using a formula. The State of California takes a lot of factors into account when determining child support payments. All that information goes into a calculator which then provides the amount to be paid. Some web-sites provide a calculator which you can use to get an estimate of your payments. However we highly recommend you speak with an Attorney since you want to ensure you are getting correct information. If you are trying to determine child support payments Contact Us to discuss your situation.

Child Support Modification

If you want to make changes to your existing child support payments that is called a Child Support Modification. Sometimes this can be done if something with your financial situation has changed. For example you may have gotten a new job that pays less money. If that happens the court doesn’t automatically find out and adjust your payments. You need to let the court know all the information so they can make a change if they agree it is appropriate. Or if the other parent gets a new job that pays significantly more money you may also be able to change your child support payments.

Here are some of the changes which could result in a Modification

Change in living expenses
The child’s needs change significantly
Change in Income by either Parent
Medical Emergency
Financial Hardship

Speaking with an Attorney can help you determine if seeking a child support payment change makes sense. You should be prepared to provide a lot of financial information which all goes into determining the new child support payments.

Child Support Payment Factors

When it comes to determining Child Support payments the State of California needs a lot of information. The State takes the information you provide and using a formula will provide the child support payment information. Some of the factors they use include:

Number of children
% of time each parent spends with the child or children
Monthly Income for both parties
Monthly Deductions
Prior Child Support orders
Retirement Contributions
Job Related Expenses
Recent Tax Information
Property Tax (if applicable)
Union Dues (if applicable)
Mandatory and/or Voluntary Retirement Payments (if applicable)
Health Insurance payments (if applicable)

California provides a free on-line calculator to help estimate your monthly child support payments. Using this information you can get a sense for how much you will need to pay, or should receive, in child support payments.

Keep in mind they require you provide a lot of detailed information. So you should have your Tax Forms and a recent pay stub available. Know we are not affiliated with the California state provided on-line calculator.

Child Abuse Hotline, DCFS Hotline

jrodriguez@axxiomdata.com (Juan Rodriguez) — Tue, 08 Sep 2020 20:02:04 GMT

If you are a parent or guardian and someone has accused you of child abuse or neglect they may have reported you to DCFS. If that happens we highly recommend you Contact a Family Law or DCFS Attorney immediately. The allegations could lead to the children being taken from your home, and even criminal charges depending on the complaint and the findings. The key is understanding the charges, and working with an attorney to determine the best course of action. You do not need to work with or hire an attorney though we recommend it based on our experience working on hundreds of DCFS cases.

The child abuse hotline is a service run by DCFS (Department of Children and Family Services) in Los Angeles. It’s a phone number anyone can call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to report child abuse or child neglect. Once that number is called it could start a process leading to an investigation into the allegations, and possibly the child or children being removed from their home. If the call is life threatening it could get turned over to the DCFS Emergency Response Command Post.

Typically a mandated reporter (could be a doctor, nurse, teacher, counselor) will instead fill out an online form. You may be asking who is a mandated reporter and could that be you. Below is the full list based on the DCFS web-site as of January 2015.

The information below is taken from the DCFS web-site as of January 2015. For the most up-to-date information please go to their site directly.

Los Angeles County- Report Child Abuse

To report child abuse in Los Angeles County, California, contact the Child Protection Hotline 24 hours a day, 7 days a week:

Toll-free within California, phone (800) 540-4000
If calling from outside of California, phone (213) 639-4500
TDD [Hearing Impaired] (800) 272-6699

The purpose and mission of the Child Protection Hotline (CPH) is:

To act as the central point of entry for calls to DCFS regarding the possible abuse and/or neglect of children.
To receive calls of abuse and neglect involving children and assess the level of endangerment.
To obtain factual information regarding a specific incident and generate a referral for investigation, if appropriate.
To document and transmit all referrals of child endangerment to the appropriate office, timely.
To ensure child safety and protection.

Here we provide information about who is a mandated reporter.

MANDATED REPORTER

11165.7. (a) As used in this article, “mandated reporter” is
defined as any of the following:
(1) A teacher.
(2) An instructional aide.
(3) A teacher’s aide or teacher’s assistant employed by any public
or private school.
(4) A classified employee of any public school.
(5) An administrative officer or supervisor of child welfare and
attendance, or a certificated pupil personnel employee of any public
or private school.
(6) An administrator of a public or private day camp.
(7) An administrator or employee of a public or private youth
center, youth recreation program, or youth organization.
(8) An administrator or employee of a public or private
organization whose duties require direct contact and supervision of
children.
(9) Any employee of a county office of education or the California
Department of Education, whose duties bring the employee into
contact with children on a regular basis.
(10) A licensee, an administrator, or an employee of a licensed
community care or child day care facility.
(11) A Head Start program teacher.
(12) A licensing worker or licensing evaluator employed by a
licensing agency as defined in Section 11165.11.
(13) A public assistance worker.
(14) An employee of a child care institution, including, but not
limited to, foster parents, group home personnel, and personnel of
residential care facilities.
(15) A social worker, probation officer, or parole officer.
(16) An employee of a school district police or security
department.
(17) Any person who is an administrator or presenter of, or a
counselor in, a child abuse prevention program in any public or
private school.
(18) A district attorney investigator, inspector, or local child
support agency caseworker unless the investigator, inspector, or
caseworker is working with an attorney appointed pursuant to Section
317 of the Welfare and Institutions Code to represent a minor.
(19) A peace officer, as defined in Chapter 4.5 (commencing with
Section 830) of Title 3 of Part 2, who is not otherwise described in
this section.
(20) A firefighter, except for volunteer firefighters.
(21) A physician, surgeon, psychiatrist, psychologist, dentist,
resident, intern, podiatrist, chiropractor, licensed nurse, dental
hygienist, optometrist, marriage, family and child counselor,
clinical social worker, or any other person who is currently licensed
under Division 2 (commencing with Section 500) of the Business and
Professions Code.
(22) Any emergency medical technician I or II, paramedic, or other
person certified pursuant to Division 2.5 (commencing with Section
1797) of the Health and Safety Code.
(23) A psychological assistant registered pursuant to Section 2913
of the Business and Professions Code.
(24) A marriage, family, and child therapist trainee, as defined
in subdivision (c) of Section 4980.03 of the Business and Professions
Code.
(25) An unlicensed marriage, family, and child therapist intern
registered under Section 4980.44 of the Business and Professions
Code.
(26) A state or county public health employee who treats a minor
for venereal disease or any other condition.
(27) A coroner.
(28) A medical examiner, or any other person who performs
autopsies.
(29) A commercial film and photographic print processor, as
specified in subdivision (d) of Section 11166. As used in this
article, “commercial film and photographic print processor” means any
person who develops exposed photographic film into negatives,
slides, or prints, or who makes prints from negatives or slides, for
compensation. The term includes any employee of such a person; it
does not include a person who develops film or makes prints for a
public agency.
(30) A child visitation monitor. As used in this article, “child
visitation monitor” means any person who, for financial compensation,
acts as monitor of a visit between a child and any other person when
the monitoring of that visit has been ordered by a court of law.
(31) An animal control officer or humane society officer. For the
purposes of this article, the following terms have the following
meanings:
(A) “Animal control officer” means any person employed by a city,
county, or city and county for the purpose of enforcing animal
control laws or regulations.
(B) “Humane society officer” means any person appointed or
employed by a public or private entity as a humane officer who is
qualified pursuant to Section 14502 or 14503 of the Corporations
Code.
(32) A clergy member, as specified in subdivision (c) of Section
11166. As used in this article, “clergy member” means a priest,
minister, rabbi, religious practitioner, or similar functionary of a
church, temple, or recognized denomination or organization.
(33) Any custodian of records of a clergy member, as specified in
this section and subdivision (c) of Section 11166.
(34) Any employee of any police department, county sheriff’s
department, county probation department, or county welfare
department.
(35) An employee or volunteer of a Court Appointed Special
Advocate program, as defined in Rule 1424 of the California Rules of
Court.
(36) A custodial officer as defined in Section 831.5.
(37) Any person providing services to a minor child under Section
12300 or 12300.1 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
(b) Except as provided in paragraph (35) of subdivision (a),
volunteers of public or private organizations whose duties require
direct contact with and supervision of children are not mandated
reporters but are encouraged to obtain training in the identification
and reporting of child abuse and neglect and are further encouraged
to report known or suspected instances of child abuse or neglect to
an agency specified in Section 11165.9.
(c) Employers are strongly encouraged to provide their employees
who are mandated reporters with training in the duties imposed by
this article. This training shall include training in child abuse
and neglect identification and training in child abuse and neglect
reporting. Whether or not employers provide their employees with
training in child abuse and neglect identification and reporting, the
employers shall provide their employees who are mandated reporters
with the statement required pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section
11166.5.
(d) School districts that do not train their employees specified
in subdivision (a) in the duties of mandated reporters under the
child abuse reporting laws shall report to the State Department of
Education the reasons why this training is not provided.
(e) Unless otherwise specifically provided, the absence of
training shall not excuse a mandated reporter from the duties imposed
by this article.
(f) Public and private organizations are encouraged to provide
their volunteers whose duties require direct contact with and
supervision of children with training in the identification and
reporting of child abuse and neglect.

Child Custody Order

jrodriguez@axxiomdata.com (Juan Rodriguez) — Tue, 08 Sep 2020 19:57:37 GMT

If you are looking for information for a Child Custody order you may want to hire a Family Law Attorney who specializes in child custody cases. These orders deal with your rights when it comes to custody and visitation – So it is very important to get them right. These cases can also dictate who can make decisions on behalf of the children.

There are a lot of web-sites with helpful information around child custody orders. It is good for parents and grandparents to be aware of the process and terminology. However these cases can be extremely complex and overwhelming. That’s why we recommend working with someone who knows child custody law.

Where these cases can get complicated is when both sides can’t agree on who has custody, pick-up and drop-off locations, etc. These may seem like trivial matters when a couple is together. However once a couple gets separated or divorced these “minor things” can get very tense and complex. And in other cases there may be allegations of child neglect or child abuse. If that comes up in your case you should immediately contact an Attorney.

Out of State Child Custody

We have dealt with cases where one of the parents lives in a different state. If you are dealing with child custody issues and you live in different states Contact Us about your case.

Domestic Violence Cases

We have worked with clients for their child custody needs on Domestic Violence cases. In some cases these also involve getting a Restraining Order or answering a Restraining Order. Domestic Violence can have a big impact on the child custody and visitation rights, so it is important to talk with an Attorney if that is a part of your case. And if you are a victim of Domestic Violence please contact the authorities immediately.

What Is a Juvenile Dependency Case?

jrodriguez@axxiomdata.com (Juan Rodriguez) — Mon, 03 Feb 2020 02:30:33 GMT

A Juvenile Dependency case in one where there are charges of Abuse and Neglect of a child. If you are involved in a juvenile dependency case in Los Angeles you should contact an Attorney immediately. Ideally you will talk with a Family Law Attorney who specializes in these matters. And you want someone who has worked with DCFS in the past. Experience is what you want on your side.

Our Attorneys have handled hundreds of child abuse cases in Southern California. Call or email her to set up an appointment to discuss your case. Her office is in Beverly Hills, California which is very convenient from all over Los Angeles.

There are a lot of lawyers who say they “fight” DCFS. Yes these cases are about fighting for your rights. A lot of people in dependency cases have certain rights. This could included Dads, Moms, Grandparents, Uncles, Aunts, and others. However these cases are more than just fighting. These are also about being smart. You want to understand the process and work with an Attorney you can trust who will know how to deal with Social Workers, Doctors, other Lawyers, and Judges. It’s important your Lawyer has experience helping parents and guardians with the dependency system.

The following information is from the California Courts web-site, and provides more information regarding Juvenile Dependency. The information is from their site as of May 2016. Please refer to their site for the latest information, and speak with an Attorney to find out what is applicable in your situation.

If you need an Attorney can you contact us at (323) 556-0660.

A child abuse and neglect case starts when someone reports a concern that:

You are abusing your child or not taking care of your child properly,
Someone else is abusing your child or not taking care of him or her properly and you are not protecting your child from that, or
Your child is in danger of being abused or not taken care of properly by you or someone else.

Reports that a child is being abused or neglected are usually made to the police or to social workers. When a child abuse and neglect report is made, the social worker or police officer is required to investigate. If a police officer gets notified first, he or she will usually turn it over to the social worker for investigation.

A social worker investigates by talking to you, your child, people who know you and your family, and by looking at where you live. The social worker can talk to your child at school without you being present. The social worker does not need a court order to talk to your child at school, as long as there is not a police officer present when the social worker talks to your child. After the social worker talks to your child at school, he or she has to tell you that s/he interviewed your child at school.

After investigating the social worker will do one of the following:

Not take any action. The social worker will do this if he does not find evidence of abuse or neglect that requires court involvement.
Offer you what are called voluntary services. These are free services that the social worker will help you connect to that are designed to help you learn how to parent your child more safely.
Leave your child in your care and file a petition with the court that asks to the court to open a case to protect your child.
Take your child from your care and file a paper with the court, called a petition, that asks the court to open a case to protect your child. The social worker must file the petition within two court days of removing your child. The social worker will take your child from you if he thinks the child is in immediate danger in your care. If the social worker takes your child from your care he can place the child with the other parent (if you are separated), with a relative, or in a foster home.

One of the most important things to do when your child is removed is to give the social worker information on your family members. The placement options for your child will be:

the other parent if you and your child’s other parent are not together,
a relative, or
a foster home or shelter.

To prevent your child from being placed with strangers, give your relatives’ information to the social worker. Click for a Guide to Dependency Court: For Relatives and/or Caregivers.

When your child is removed, you can also ask the social worker to set up frequent visits with your child. If it is appropriate to do so, you will be able see your child while you wait for your court date.

Attend the first court hearing . In most courts, this is called the detention hearing. If your child has been removed, this hearing must be held by the end of the day after the petition is filed. The social worker will tell you when and where the detention hearing is going to take place.

Keep in mind that even though your child is removed you still have the right to make educational decisions on behalf of your child. So, you should continue to participate in your child’s education and decisions regarding his education. The court can limit your right to make educational decisions based on your failure to respond to and participate in school meetings. You also retain your right to make health care decisions for your child and you have the right to attend doctors appointments.

Beatrice K. Fung rated “Excellent” on Avvo

jrodriguez@axxiomdata.com (Juan Rodriguez) — Mon, 03 Feb 2020 02:30:33 GMT

Attorney Beatrice K. Fung is rated “Excellent” on Avvo. The Avvo Attorney rating is based on numerous factors including years of service, client referrals, and referrals from other attorneys.

If you are considering hiring a Family Law or Juvenile Dependency attorney Contact Us to discuss your situation and how we can help.

You can contact our office at (323) 556-0660.

We look forward to sitting down with you and getting more information around what you are facing. And keep in mind ratings such as this should only be one factor in your decision-making process, and we always recommend speaking with an attorney before hiring them.

We want to take a moment to thank all of our clients, and other attorneys who continue to refer their friends, colleagues and family members to us for their Family Law needs. We have helped hundreds of people in Southern California with their divorce, spousal support, child custody, and other family law areas.

Beatrice Fung is listed on Avvo for child dependency, child custody, divorce, prenuptial agreements, and spousal support services. She practices a wide range of Family Law and Juvenile Dependency services.

This is what former or current clients had to say about her on Avvo:

An Amazing Family Law Attorney

Bea was incredibly compassionate to me through a very difficult and emotionally draining divorce and child custody battle. From our first meeting in her office as a scared woman, looking for a way out of an abusive marriage, I knew that she would be a great lawyer. She gave me important first steps to help remove myself and daughter from a dangerous situation. She was always quick to respond to all my questions, and I had a lot! She helped me get the best outcome for my custody situation, as well as guidance when it came to child support. She gave excellent [spelling corrected] advice before, during and even after the divorce was final. Working with Bea felt like she was a friend helping a friend and I’m grateful she eased the stress in a very intense time.

MS FUNG PARENT ADVOCATE

Beatrice had the highest ethical standards, insisting on applying full diligence in returning our child. she discussed the trial with me and returned emails without feather beading, as i’ve seen with others. she prepared a strong defense, unfortunately she was a little slow on obtaining sensitive evidence keeping effective analysis from completing in a timely manner, nevertheless she was a comfort in a terrible storm

Unbelievable lawyer for a seemingly defeated father of two
Was faced with responding to a requested divorce from my wife, as well as having my visitation with my kids set at 2 hours per week. My record was also a question mark as i had 2 dui’s on my record, and a alleged domestic violence claim made by my then wife. With all those circumstances after the end of my first hearing Beatrice was able to get my visitation with my kids raised to 3 days a week. My domestic violence charge was thrown-out, thus i was able to negotiate from a more even stance. Ultimately my custody was set at 60-40 and i know have joint legal and physical custody, as i have since gained 50-50 physical custody. I thank God I choose Beatrice K. Fung

Incredibly dedicated family law attorney

I recommend Beatrice Fung.
I hired Beatrice 1-3 years ago.
Beatrice handled my Divorce / Separation matter.
She helped me through a very long and difficult divorce that lasted over 3 years. She was able to give advice, discuss pros and cons of certain choices and support my decision. She continues to offer guidance on issues as they come up and I believe that she has integrity and the tenacity to back her clients completely.

Lower Child Support Payments

jrodriguez@axxiomdata.com (Juan Rodriguez) — Sun, 02 Feb 2020 02:30:33 GMT

In Los Angeles a lot of parents ask us about lowering their child support payments. Definitely speak with an attorney if this is your goal so they can help you figure out if this is an option. You can contact our office anytime and someone will respond right away.

Typically the court will use a formula to determine the child support payments, though you may want to talk with your lawyer about the process and what information comes into play. If you have all of your financial information available they may be able to tell you the approximate change in your monthly child support payments.

On some California child support web-sites they mention using information gathered from the following documents to help determine what the monthly child support payments will be. Keep in mind they will also consider your spouse’s financial situation as well.

Please speak with an attorney prior to begin the process. They may be able to help you navigate the information you need.

Tax returns for the past two (2) years. If self-employed, bring Schedule “C” and current profit-and-loss statement
Last three (3) paycheck stubs
Proof of unemployment benefits
Proof of disability and/or disability benefits
Proof of health insurance premium payments
Proof of child care expenses
Proof of child support and/or spousal support paid by you for any other relationship
Proof of visitation/timeshare (time spent with the child)
Proof of biological or legally adopted children living with you
Proof of mortgage payments and property tax bill
All loan applications (whether or not the loan was granted) for the last two (2) years
Any other documents or information the judicial officer or CSSD has told you to bring

You must also complete an Income and Expense Declaratio n (FL-150) and bring it with you to court.

Reasons for a Divorce

jrodriguez@axxiomdata.com (Juan Rodriguez) — Sat, 01 Feb 2020 20:38:12 GMT

In all our years as a Family Law Attorney in Beverly Hills we have seen numerous reasons for people getting divorced. Fact is there isn’t a “good” reason to get divorced, though they are some bad ones.

If you and your partner want to get divorced we highly recommend you call us up to set up a consultation. We are not going to try to talk you in or out of the decision. We have had numerous clients decide divorce is not for them and they are going to try to reconcile. We are very happy when couples decide to stay together.

So the question remains – why do people get divorced? People get divorced for a number of reasons. These include financial issues, communications problems, and the couple not working on their relationship.

That last one is important because marriage isn’t always easy. Both people in the relationship have to continue working on making the other person, and themselves happy – otherwise you run the risk of becoming roommates with your spouse. Or even worse their might be resentment. If one person constantly feels they are doing more to make the relationship work they may end up stopping one day. Then they’ll see if the relationship falls apart without their hard work.

Lack of communications may manifest itself as constant arguing. If a couple is always fighting they might actually be agreeing more than they know. However they may not be hearing what the other person is saying. We see this quite often unfortunately. People are arguing because they aren’t being heard. Unfortunately with the age of technology and communication apps (Facebook, twitter, skype, snapchat, etc.) this isn’t getting any better.

So much of our communicating is happening over text and email so it’s almost impossible to be sure what you are saying is heard properly by the other person. Yes emojis can help but only to a point. If you are in an argument or one is about to happen you might want to ask the other person “what are we arguing about exactly?” That could really open up your eyes to what’s really going on. Plus this should be done in person. You don’t want to send a text asking “r u mad?” That could show the other person you really don’t take it all that seriously.

A lot of people will say infidelity is high on the list, though that may be bundling a lot of underlying problems into one category. Some people cheat simply because that’s what they feel like doing. However in a lot of cases there is some other issue that is actually driving them to cheat. One thing we’ve seen is people cheating in order to get attention. They wanted the other person to notice them, or notice there was a problem.

One item we rarely hear others mention as a reason for divorce is that people are different. And we need to understand those differences if we want to make a relationship work. If you want more insight into this read The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman . By reading this book you should be able to find out how you show and receive love. And just as important you should find out how your partner does too. There is a good chance how you show love, and how your partner receives love are very different. This difference could be causing issues in the relationship.

For example you might show love by giving gifts. So you buy your wife really nice gifts all the time. Then when she says you don’t show enough affection you would think “I don’t understand – I just bought her that necklace.” However your wife might not think of getting gifts as getting love. She might consider Acts of Service as a way of getting love. If that’s the case you could buy her 10,000 diamond necklaces and she’d still think you aren’t showing enough love. Instead you would simply need to cook her dinner (an act of service) to let her know.

In summary people are going to continue getting into fights and getting divorced. We though hope some couples who want to stay together can and will for a very long time. We’ve handled hundreds of divorces in Los Angeles and they can be a long time before the start and resolution. Know this before you get divorced so you can be mentally prepared for what’s ahead.

And if you are set on getting divorced do your research and then meet with attorneys who you think you’ll want to hire. In our experience once a person meets with us for an hour they hire us. They know we have done this before and have worked in almost all the major courtrooms in LA. And we recognize that a lot of what happens during a divorce happens outside the courtroom. It is an on-going discussion between the two parties trying to end things on hopefully the best terms.

DCFS Procedures and DCFS Locations

jrodriguez@axxiomdata.com (Juan Rodriguez) — Fri, 31 Jan 2020 20:56:07 GMT

If you are dealing with a DCFS case you should speak with an attorney about your case. Child custody and neglect cases go through a very strict process that can take a lot of experience to work through. Your goals and those of the people representing DCFS may be very different. Each side will say they are doing what’s in the best interest of the children, though what the parents feel is best for their kids is usually them living together. That’s not always the way DCFS will see things. In fact sometimes they will recommend children get placed with a different family member, or be put into the foster care system.

Note: some of this information may be out-of-date. Please contact a Family Law Attorney, or the DCFS directly for the most current information

Each child abuse case is different so it’s important to work with an attorney who has experience with DCFS cases, and can help navigate the system. You will want to be clear about your goals and what outcome you want to see. Going up against DCFS can be an up-hill battle so it’s best to be well prepared and work with someone you trust.

Be clear with your Attorney about why DCFS got involved. Sometimes it’s through a mandated reporter such as a teacher, a teacher’s aide, or a doctor. If one of these mandated reporters even thinks there are signs of abuse they may contact DCFS and report what they think are abuse or neglect problems. Regardless of the facts, you may now be entangled in a child abuse case. We have seen numerous cases where a teacher sees bruises and reports this as possible child abuse regardless of what the child says happened. The burden now shifts to the parents trying to prove that abuse never happened. This can take a long time and involve experts, court meetings at Children’s Court, witness testimony, and a lot of emotions.

And know the process, procedures, and DCFS forms can and will change. So any information you find online may not be completely up-to-date or accurate. Make sure you are using the most current information available, and your lawyer has access to the information they need to fight DCFS.

Here are some of the DCFS forms you should be aware of, and can work with your attorney on. Note these were taken from the DCFS web-site and are assumed to be up-to-date only based on the date they were taken:

DCFS 9-6, Search Folder

DCFS 136, Due Diligence Search Request

DCFS 137, Search/Parent

DCFS 138, Search/Contact

DCFS 139, Search/Neighbor

DCFS 140, Search/Employer

DCFS 141, Search/Registrar

DCFS 142, Search/Postmaster

DCFS 144, Search/Motor Vehicles Out-of-State

DCFS 145, Search/Out-of-State Corrections

DCFS 146, Search/Military Services

DCFS 280, Technical Assistance Action Request

INF 254, Gov’t Agency Request for Drivers License/Identification Record Information

DCFS Locations

If you want to know the different DCFS locations you can go to the locations page on their web-site. The information is also provided below (accurate as of 4/7/2014) which was taken from the DCFS web-site.

SPA 1Palmdale [ map ]
39959 Sierra Hwy, Palmdale, CA 93550
Paul Gaeta, ER R.A. (661) 471-1369
Laura Shotzbarger, CS R.A. (661) 223-4111

Reception (661) 223-4200

Lancaster [ map ]
300 E Avenue K6, Lancaster, CA 93535
Paul Gaeta, ER RA 661-471-1369
Laura Shotzbarger, CS R.A. (661) 223-4111
Reception (661) 471-1075SPA 2

San Fernando Valley
[ map ]
20151 Nordhoff St.
Chatsworth, CA 91311
Adrienne Olson, ER RA
(818) 717-4802
Paul Freedlund, CS RA
(661) 702-6202
Reception
(818) 717-4002/4009West San Fernando Valley [ map ]
20151 Nordhoff St.
Chatsworth, CA 91311
Adrienne Olson, ER RA
(818) 717-4802
Paul Freedlund, CS RA
(661) 702-6202
Reception
(818) 717-4009Santa Clarita [ map ]
28490 Avenue Stanford
Santa Clarita, CA 91355
Adrienne Olson, ER RA
(818) 717-4802
Paul Freedlund, CS RA
(661) 702-6202
Reception
(661) 702-6262

SPA 3 Glendora [ map ]
725 S. Grand Ave.
Glendora, CA 91740
Rex White, ER RA
(626) 691-1692
Angela Parks-Pyles, CS RA
(909) 802-1512
Reception
(626) 691-1700Pasadena [ map ]
532 E. Colorado Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91101
Muzeyyen Balaban, ER R.A.
(626) 229-3737
Ed Sosa, CS R.A.
(626) 938-1823
Reception
(626) 229-3500Pomona [ map ]
801 Corporate Center Drive
Pomona, CA 91768
Rex White, ER RA
(626) 691-1692
Angela Parks-Pyles, CS RA
(909) 802-1512
Reception
(909) 802-1300El Monte [ map ]
4024 Durfee Ave.
El Monte, CA 91732
Muzeyyen Balaban, ER R.A.
(626) 229-3737
Ed Sosa, CS R.A.
(626) 938-1823
Reception (626) 455-4660| Covina Annex (Specialized Programs) [ map ]
| 1373 E. Center Court Dr., Covina, CA 91724
| Ed Sosa, CS RA
| (626) 229-3737
| (626) 938-1610
| Reception (626) 938-1601

SPA 4Metro North [ map ]
1933 S. Broadway, Suite 6
Los Angeles, CA 90007
Helen Maxwell, ER Division Chief (323) 900-2200
Michael Rauso, CS RA (213) 763-1528
Reception (213) 763-1440

SPA 5West LA [ map ]
5757 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 200, Los Angeles, CA 90036
Helen Maxwell, ER Division Chief (323) 900-2200
Michael Rauso, CS RA (213) 763-1528
Reception (323) 900-2222

SPA 6Vermont Corridor [ map ]
8300 S. Vermont Ave. 4th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90044
W. Stephen Long, CS RA
(323) 965-5171
Reginald Carter, ER RA
(310) 668 – 6605
Reception (323) 965-7060Compton (New Office) [ map ]
921 E. Compton Blvd.
Compton, CA 90221
W. Stephen Long, CS RA
(323) 965-5171
Reginald Carter, ER RA
(310) 668 – 6605
Reception (310) 668-6600Compton West
11539 Hawthorne Blvd., 1st Floor,
Hawthorne, CA 90250
W. Stephen Long, CS RA
(323) 965-5171
Reception (310) 263-2178Wateridge [ map ]
5110 W. Goldleaf Circle
Los Angeles, CA 90056
Iris Courtney, ER R.A.
(323) 290-8699
Danaette Page, CS R.A.
(323) 290-8437
Reception (323) 290-8500

SPA 7Belvedere [ map ]
5835 S. Eastern Ave., Commerce, CA 90040
Art Lieras, CS RA (323) 725-4500
Jennifer A. Lopez, ER RA (562) 903-5101
Reception (323) 725-4401Santa Fe Springs [ map ]
10355 Slusher Dr., Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670
Jennifer A. Lopez, ER RA (562) 903-5101
Art Lieras, CS RA (323) 725 – 4500
Reception (562) 903-5000

S PA 8Torrance [ map ]
2325 Crenshaw Blvd., Torrance, CA 90501
Tedji Dessalegn, ER RA (310) 972-3114
Charles Tadlock, CS RA (562) 497-3303
Reception (310) 972-3111South County [ map ]
4060 Watson Plaza Drive, Lakewood, CA 90712
Charles Tadlock, CS RA (562) 497-3303
Tedji Dessalegn, ER RA (310) 972-3114
Reception (562) 497-3500SupportChild Protection Hotline [ map ]
1933 S. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90007
Mitch Mason, RA (213) 351-5746
Reception (213) 763-1441 or (213) 639-4500Emergency Response Command Post [ map ]
1933 S. Broadway, 5th Floor,
Los Angeles, CA 90007
Frank Ramos, RA
(213) 765-7422
Reception (213) 763-1440 or (213) 639-4500Court Services [ map ]
201 Centre Plaza Dr., Monterey Park, CA 91754
Wanda Harris, Director (323) 526-6700
Reception (323) 526-6300Out-Of-Home Care [ map ]
9320 Telstar Avenue, Suite 216, El Monte, CA 91731
Karen Richardson, Division Chief (626) 569-6801
Reception (626) 569-6806Youth Development Services [ map ]
3530 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 400, Los Angeles, CA 90010
Harvey Kawasaki, Division Chief (213) 351-0102
Reception (213) 351-0105

Edmund D. Edelman Children’s Court

jrodriguez@axxiomdata.com (Juan Rodriguez) — Thu, 30 Jan 2020 21:17:19 GMT

A lot of our cases are held at the Edelman Children’s Court, also know as the Juvenile Dependency Court. This is where child dependency cases are heard in Los Angeles. These cases involve allegations of child abuse, child neglect, and exploitation.

If you are dealing with a DCFS case, your case will probably be heard here. We wanted to share some basic information around the courthouse in case you need to attend in person.

And anyone contacted by DCFS should contact an Attorney right away to discuss their case. Reports and allegations involving child abuse or child neglect are extremely sensitive and should be handled by an experienced Attorney.

Edelman Court Address:

Edmund D. Edelman Children’s Court
201 Centre Plaza Dr Ste 3 (Ramona Blvd)
Monterey Park, CA 91754
The court is located near the intersection of the 10 and the 710 freeways.