Pico Rivera parents facing a DCFS investigation deserve a lawyer who explains every step, in English or Spanish, before decisions are made for them.
We represent Pico Rivera families from the first contact with a social worker, with the goal of resolving the case before a petition is filed and keeping children with family if DCFS seeks removal.
| DCFS office | Typically a southeast Los Angeles County regional office, depending on address |
|---|---|
| Law enforcement | Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, Pico Rivera Station |
| Dependency court | Edmund D. Edelman Children's Courthouse, 201 Centre Plaza Drive, Monterey Park, CA 91754 |
| Family court | Custody matters are typically heard at the Whittier or Norwalk courthouse, depending on the filing |
| Schools and hospitals | El Rancho Unified School District. PIH Health Whittier is the nearest major hospital. |
Regional office and courthouse assignments depend on your exact address and the type of case. We confirm the assignment on the first call.
If DCFS files a petition, the court will appoint a lawyer at the first hearing. That is an important protection, but it starts after the investigation is over and often after children have already been removed. During the investigation itself, there is no appointed lawyer.
That investigation window, usually about 30 days, is when the most important decisions are made: what the social worker writes, whether a safety plan is signed, whether drug testing is requested, and whether the case goes to court. Having your own lawyer during that window is the difference we make.
When a parent is interviewed in a second language, or through a family member acting as an interpreter, statements can be misunderstood and written down wrong. You have the right to communicate in the language you are most comfortable with. We review what the report says you said and correct it.
DCFS may ask for drug testing based on a report, a hospital screen, or a single incident. We review whether the request is supported, ask for confirmatory testing when a result is disputed, and make sure one test does not become the whole case under WIC § 300(b).
If removal happens, the law gives preference to relatives. We identify grandparents and other relatives early and press for placement under WIC §§ 309(d) and 361.3 so children stay with people they know.
Our dependency team works in English and Spanish. We explain every document before you sign it and every hearing before you attend it.
We speak with the social worker for you, confirm what the referral actually alleges, and set terms for any interview so your words are not paraphrased into a report.
We explain your rights under the Fourth Amendment and cases like Calabretta v. Floyd (9th Cir. 1999), and when a social worker generally needs consent, a warrant, or true exigent circumstances to enter.
We read the proposed plan line by line, negotiate terms that are realistic, and push back on conditions that go beyond the actual allegation.
We assemble records, pediatric and school documentation, and witness statements that answer the allegation before a finding is made.
If removal is on the table, we press for placement with a grandparent or other relative under WIC §§ 309(d) and 361.3 rather than foster care.
We track whether a substantiated finding is being sent to the Child Abuse Central Index and request a grievance hearing when the finding is wrong.
A report reaches the DCFS hotline and is assigned to a Children's Social Worker (CSW), often within hours for an immediate-response referral. The first sign is usually a knock, a phone call, or a school or hospital staff member telling you DCFS has been contacted.
DCFS generally aims to close an emergency response investigation within about 30 days. During that window the social worker interviews the children, both parents, collateral contacts, and sometimes teachers and doctors, then decides whether the allegation is unfounded, inconclusive, or substantiated.
Instead of filing, DCFS may propose a safety plan or Voluntary Family Maintenance under WIC § 301. These are not formalities. Their terms can shape the rest of the case, so they should be reviewed by counsel before anyone signs.
If children are taken into protective custody under WIC §§ 305 or 306, the statutory clock is short. WIC §§ 313 and 315 require either release or a filed petition and a prompt detention hearing at Edelman, where the court applies the WIC § 319 standard.
At the jurisdiction hearing the county must prove the WIC § 300 allegations (WIC § 355). If it does, the disposition hearing under WIC §§ 358 and 361 decides where the children live and what services the parents must complete.
Every hearing after a petition is filed takes place at the Edelman Children's Courthouse in Monterey Park. For a guide to the building, the departments, and what to bring, see our Edelman Children's Court resource site.
Our closest offices to Pico Rivera are 10880 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 1101, Los Angeles, CA 90024 and 1370 Valley Vista Dr, Suite 200, Diamond Bar, CA 91765. Many families prefer phone or video consultations, which we offer in English and Spanish.
Dependency hearings are held at Edelman in Monterey Park, a short drive from Pico Rivera. We appear with you at every hearing.
Yes. You can ask for a Spanish-speaking social worker or a qualified interpreter. Do not rely on a child or relative to interpret for you. If your interview was not in your preferred language, tell your lawyer so the record can be reviewed.
If DCFS files a petition, the court appoints a lawyer at the first hearing. There is no appointed lawyer during the investigation before a petition. Private counsel can represent you during that period and throughout the case.
A request during an investigation is generally voluntary, but refusing can affect how the social worker views the case. Talk with a lawyer first. We can help decide whether to test, where, and how to handle a disputed result.
Often, yes. California law gives preference to relative placement. The grandparent must be assessed, and there are home and background requirements, so it helps to raise relative placement immediately.
Sometimes. Pico Rivera's police services come from the Sheriff's Department. Deputies may respond with a social worker, especially after a 911 call. A statement to a deputy can be used in both the DCFS case and a criminal case.
Quickly. Under WIC §§ 313 and 315, the county must release the children or file a petition, and the detention hearing is held promptly at Edelman. Call a lawyer the same day children are removed.
Speak with a dependency defense attorney today. English, Spanish, and Arabic. Calls answered 24/7.
Attorney advertising. This page provides general information about California dependency law and is not legal advice for any specific situation. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. DCFS regional office, law enforcement, and courthouse assignments described here are typical and can vary by address and case type. ALL Trial Lawyers / Abuershaid Law, APC. Responsible attorney: Mohammad Abuershaid, SBN 297270.