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DCFS Took Your Child. The Clock Is Already Running.

If you’re reading this, something has already happened. A social worker came to your home. Your child was taken at school or at the hospital. A caller “made a report.” Maybe you signed something. Maybe you’re being asked to sign something now.

Here’s what you need to know before you do anything else: the Detention Hearing happens within 1 to 2 court days of removal. That’s it. That’s your window. Whatever you do in the next 48 hours — what you say, what you sign, who you call — will shape whether your child sleeps at home this week, this month, or this year.

We can help. Right now. Call (866) 811-4255 — answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The first conversation is free.

Who We Are

This is a CPS and DCFS defense practice. Founder Mohammad “Mo” Abuershaid has personally handled more than 2,000 juvenile dependency cases across Southern California, including matters at the Edmund D. Edelman Children’s Court in Monterey Park.

He started as an Orange County Public Defender, court-appointed to parents who couldn’t afford lawyers. He has been on every side of dependency court — representing parents, watching social workers testify, reading thousands of detention reports, cross-examining the same County Counsel deputies and DCFS supervisors who will be assigned to your case.

Most lawyers will say they “do” DCFS cases. Ask them how many they’ve actually handled. Ask them how the hallways at Edelman are laid out. Ask them what’s in a typical detention report. The answers will tell you everything you need.

Call Now: (866) 811-4255

Available 24/7. Free consultation. Free case review.

We have an office in Westwood and represent parents from every region of Los Angeles County.

ALL Trial Lawyers — Los Angeles Office 10880 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 1101 Los Angeles, CA 90024

What’s Happening to You Right Now

Los Angeles County doesn’t call it “CPS.” The agency that investigates abuse and neglect, removes children, and files dependency petitions is the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) — the largest child welfare agency in the United States. Every social worker, every report, every regional office, every case file carries the DCFS name. You may hear “DCFS,” “CFS,” or “Child Welfare.” It’s all the same agency.

DCFS receives reports through the Child Protection Hotline at (800) 540-4000, 24 hours a day. Anyone can call — neighbors, ex-partners, teachers, doctors, anonymous tipsters. The hotline takes hundreds of calls a day. About a third are anonymous.

Once a report is screened in, an Emergency Response (ER) Children’s Social Worker (CSW) is assigned out of one of LA County’s 19 regional DCFS offices. Where you live decides which office you get. Belvedere, Compton, Glendora, Lancaster, Long Beach, Metro North, Pomona, Santa Clarita, South County, Torrance, Vermont Corridor, West Los Angeles, Wateridge, Pasadena/Foothill — these offices vary in how aggressively they investigate, what conduct they prioritize, and how often they detain children versus offering Voluntary Family Maintenance.

The CSW assigned to your case has three early decisions to make:

1. How fast to respond. “Immediate” means within 24 hours; “10-day” means within 10 calendar days.
2. Whether to offer VFM. Voluntary Family Maintenance is presented as the alternative to court — services in lieu of a petition.
3. Whether to detain. With a Protective Custody Warrant or, in some cases, without one.

What the CSW Wants From You

The DCFS social worker showing up at your home wants three things:

1. To get inside. Once they’re in, anything visible goes in the report — clutter, alcohol, sleeping arrangements, marks on a child. They will document what they see.
2. To talk to you. Anything you say will be paraphrased in the detention report, often in language that sounds worse than what you said.
3. To talk to your child alone. They can interview your child at school without telling you first. By the time you find out, it’s already happened.

You don’t have to make any of this easy for them. You have rights. Most parents don’t know what those rights are until it’s too late.

What To Do Right Now (If DCFS Has Contacted You)

This is the checklist. Read it before you do anything else.

1. Don’t sign anything. Not a Voluntary Family Maintenance agreement. Not a safety plan. Not a Voluntary Placement Agreement. Not consent forms or releases. Once you sign, it’s part of the file forever.

2. Don’t agree to a recorded interview. Anything you say will end up quoted in the detention report. The CSW is not your friend. They are building a case file.

3. Don’t let the worker into your home without a warrant. You have a Fourth Amendment right to refuse entry. Refusing is not, by itself, evidence of abuse. (How you refuse matters — be polite, be calm, but say no.)

4. Get the worker’s full name, badge number, regional office, and supervisor’s name. Write it down. You will need it.

5. Write down everything. Time of contact, what was said, who else was there, what they did, what they wanted. Memory fades fast and contradictions in the agency’s record can matter at hearing.

6. Identify a relative who could take your child. California gives relatives statutory placement preference. Federal ICWA rules apply additional protections if your child has Native American heritage. Get relative names, addresses, and contact info to the CSW immediately. Without a relative on the table, your child goes to a foster home in DCFS’s pool — much harder to undo later.

7. Call us. (866) 811-4255. Before the next phone call, before the next meeting, before signing anything. We’re answering 24/7.

What Happens at Edmund D. Edelman Children’s Court

If a petition is filed, your case goes to Edmund D. Edelman Children’s Court, 201 Centre Plaza Drive, Monterey Park, CA 91754. It is the only courthouse in LA County that hears dependency cases. About 25,000 cases pass through it every year, in front of 21 judges, commissioners, and referees.

Some things to know before you walk in:

• Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Closed weekends and judicial holidays.
• Calendar call typically begins early. Get there by 8:00 a.m. at the latest.
• Full security. You go through a metal detector. No knives (including pocket knives), scissors, mace, or pepper spray. They will be confiscated.
• No cameras, no recording. Phones must be silenced.
• Arrive 30–45 minutes early. Edelman processes hundreds of families every morning. The line gets long.
• Parking is in the main on-site garage (around $5). When the lot fills, overflow parking is at Cal State LA across the 10 freeway.
• General information: (323) 526-6366 — call ahead to confirm department assignments or interpreter needs.
• Dress for court. It matters.

The judge assigned to your case at filing will likely keep your case the entire way through. The same County Counsel deputy will probably appear at every hearing. So will the same Children’s Law Center or Los Angeles Dependency Lawyers panel attorney representing your child. So will the CSW. This is a small system with repeat players, and how you and your attorney are perceived early matters all the way to the end.

The Five Hearings — In Plain English

DCFS cases follow a fixed timeline. Miss a step, lose ground. Here’s what each hearing is and what’s at stake.

1. Detention Hearing (1–2 court days after removal)

The question: Does your child come home today, or stay out?

The judge reads the detention report (the CSW’s account of why they took the child) and decides whether the child stays in foster care, returns home, or is released to a relative or non-offending parent. Your attorney challenges the report, offers placement alternatives, and proposes conditions that would let the child come home.

This is the most important hearing. A child detained here usually stays out for months even if you eventually win.

2. Jurisdiction Hearing (within 15 court days)

The question: Did the things DCFS says happen actually happen?

This is the trial. DCFS has to prove its allegations under WIC 300 by a preponderance of the evidence — meaning more likely true than not. You can fight it (a “contested jurisdiction trial”) or submit. Submitting feels easier in the moment and is sometimes correct strategy. Other times, contesting wins or gets the worst counts dismissed.

3. Disposition Hearing (within 10 court days of jurisdiction)

The question: Where does your child live, and what do you have to do to fix this?

The court orders Family Maintenance (child stays home with DCFS supervising) or Family Reunification (child stays placed elsewhere while you do services). You get a case plan — parenting classes, drug testing, therapy, monitored visits, whatever applies.

The exact wording of the disposition order matters. “Monitored visits twice a week” vs. “monitored visits at DCFS’s discretion” can mean months of difference in your life.

4. Six-Month Review and Twelve-Month Review

The question: Are you doing enough to get your child back?

The court reviews your progress every six months. DCFS writes status reports. If they say good things, you move toward reunification. If they say bad things — and DCFS controls what goes in them — you can lose reunification services. Most parents don’t realize there’s a problem until the twelve-month review when DCFS recommends termination. By then it’s late.

5. Permanency Hearing — WIC 366.26 (if reunification fails)

The question: Does your child go up for adoption?

If reunification services are cut off, the court chooses a permanent plan. The worst outcome is termination of parental rights. There are legal arguments at this stage that have to be preserved at every earlier hearing — which is one of many reasons uncoordinated representation early in the case can hurt you at the end.

What WIC 300 Means

You’ll see “WIC 300” on every document DCFS gives you. It stands for California Welfare and Institutions Code Section 300 — the law that lets the juvenile court take over a child’s care.

DCFS has to allege a specific subdivision. Most LA County cases involve:

• WIC 300(a) — child suffered or risks serious physical harm from a parent
• WIC 300(b) — failure to protect (most common; covers substance use, domestic violence, mental health, unsafe homes)
• WIC 300(c) — serious emotional damage
• WIC 300(d) — sexual abuse
• WIC 300(e) — severe physical abuse of a child under five (very serious; can bypass reunification)
• WIC 300(g) — no provision for support
• WIC 300(j) — abuse of a sibling (one child harmed = court can take all of them)

Each subdivision has different defenses, different consequences, and different reunification rules. Knowing which one is being used against you is step one.

“What Should I Do If…” — The Real Questions

“A DCFS social worker is at my door right now.”

Stay calm. Open the door but don’t step aside. Ask the worker their name, badge number, regional office, and supervisor. Ask if they have a Protective Custody Warrant. If no warrant, you can decline entry — politely. Tell them you’ll respond after speaking with an attorney. Then close the door and call us at (866) 811-4255.

“They already took my child. What now?”

Find out: which DCFS office took the child, where the child is being placed (ask DCFS), and when the Detention Hearing is scheduled (within 1–2 court days, at Edelman in Monterey Park). Identify any relative who might be able to take the child. Call us at (866) 811-4255 before that hearing — we have hours, not days, to prepare.

“They want me to sign a Voluntary Family Maintenance agreement. Should I?”

No — not until an attorney reviews it. VFM can keep you out of court, but it can also become evidence against you later. Once you sign acknowledging “risk to the child,” DCFS can quote that language back to you for months. Call (866) 811-4255 before you sign anything.

“I’m scheduled for a Team Decision-Making Meeting (TDM).”

A TDM is a DCFS meeting where they pressure parents to “voluntarily” place children with relatives or accept services to avoid court. Everything said is documented. You can bring an attorney. Call us before the meeting.

“My child was interviewed at school without my consent. Is that legal?”

In some circumstances, yes. DCFS can interview a child at school without parental notice and can remove a child without parental contact if the agency believes there’s immediate danger. You’ll typically find out at pickup or shortly after. The legality of the specific contact and removal can be challenged at the Detention Hearing.

“Will I get a court-appointed lawyer?”

Yes, if you can’t afford one. The court appoints counsel for indigent parents at the Detention Hearing — typically through Los Angeles Dependency Lawyers (LADL). Appointed counsel meets you for the first time minutes before the hearing starts. There’s simply no time for them to prepare. This is why a lot of parents who can afford private representation choose it.

“How long does a DCFS case last?”

Typically 12–18 months from removal to closure if reunification works. Cases that resolve at jurisdiction without removal can close in a few months. Cases involving termination of rights last longer.

“How much does a private DCFS lawyer cost?”

It depends on the case. We discuss fees transparently in the free consultation. Some cases are simple. Some involve months of court appearances at Edelman. Call (866) 811-4255 to discuss yours.

“Can I see my child while the case is open?”

Yes. Visitation is required, almost always monitored at first. The frequency and conditions are set by the court. The quality of your visits matters — visit reports go into DCFS’s status reports.

“Will I lose my parental rights at the first hearing?”

No. The Detention Hearing only decides where the child stays during the case. Termination, if it ever happens, comes much later — at a 366.26 hearing, after reunification has been tried and ended.

“Will the case affect my immigration status?”

It depends. Dependency case files are confidential, but information can move between agencies in some circumstances. If you have any immigration concerns, raise them with us up front so we can coordinate strategy.

“Will the case affect my criminal record?”

Sometimes. If criminal charges are filed alongside the dependency case (domestic violence, child endangerment, drug charges), what you say in dependency court can be used in criminal court and vice versa. ALL Trial Lawyers handles both — which is one reason families with parallel cases come to us.

“What if I don’t agree with what the CSW wrote about me?”

Challenge it through the court process — cross-examination, written objections, and your own evidence. Telling the social worker you disagree, calling their supervisor, or arguing with them in person almost always makes things worse.

“Can I move out of California while my case is open?”

Generally no. Children in dependency proceedings can’t be moved out of state without court approval, and parents leaving California during a case can be characterized as “fleeing” or unwilling to engage in services.

Cities and Regions We Serve in Los Angeles County

We represent parents from every part of the county. Common locations:

Westside & Central LA: Los Angeles, Westwood, Beverly Hills, Culver City, West Hollywood, Brentwood, Santa Monica, Pacific Palisades, Mar Vista, Inglewood, El Segundo, Marina del Rey

San Fernando Valley: Burbank, Glendale, Sherman Oaks, Studio City, Encino, Tarzana, Reseda, Van Nuys, North Hollywood, Sun Valley, Pacoima, Sylmar

San Gabriel Valley: Pasadena, Alhambra, Monterey Park, San Gabriel, Arcadia, Temple City, Rosemead, El Monte, Baldwin Park, Covina, West Covina, Diamond Bar, Walnut, La Verne, San Dimas, Glendora, Azusa, Duarte, Monrovia, La Puente, La Mirada, Whittier

South Bay & Long Beach: Long Beach, Carson, Torrance, Lakewood, Bellflower, Lawndale, Hawthorne, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, Compton, Gardena, Lomita

Southeast LA: Downey, Norwalk, Cerritos, Pico Rivera, Montebello, Bell Gardens, South Gate, Lynwood, Huntington Park, Maywood, Cudahy, Bell, Vernon, Paramount

Antelope Valley & North County: Lancaster, Palmdale, Santa Clarita, Castaic, Acton

Every Los Angeles County dependency case is heard at Edmund D. Edelman Children’s Court in Monterey Park, regardless of which DCFS regional office is investigating you.

Why Parents Call Us First

Because we actually know this courthouse. Edelman processes 25,000 cases a year. Most attorneys never set foot in it. We know which judges read every word of the detention report, which courtrooms move fast, which County Counsel deputies will negotiate in the hallway and which require a written motion to move at all.

Because Mo has handled 2,000+ of these cases. Not “child custody cases” or “family law cases.” Specifically dependency cases. There are not many lawyers in Southern California who can say that honestly.

Because we answer the phone. Including nights, weekends, and holidays. DCFS doesn’t keep business hours, and neither do we.

Because we don’t push every case to trial — and we don’t submit every case at jurisdiction either. The strategy fits the facts. Sometimes that means trial. Sometimes it means a deal that gets your child home faster.

Because we coordinate with criminal defense if needed. Many parents in dependency court are also facing criminal charges. We handle both, in-house, so the strategy is consistent.

Call Now — (866) 811-4255

The first conversation is free. We answer 24/7. The longer you wait, the fewer options you have.

ALL Trial Lawyers — Los Angeles DCFS Defense 10880 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 1101 Los Angeles, CA 90024 (866) 811-4255

Or send us a message through the contact form. We respond fast. But if your child has been taken, call. Don’t fill out a form. Call.